By Special Request
by laoisbabe
Summary: My take on what could happen in episode one of Season 7. Gibbs to the rescue! Spoiler Alert if you haven't seen the Season 6 Finale.
1. Chapter 1

Gibbs sat at his desk, allowing his eyes to drift towards the empty desk where once his Mossad Liaison Officer sat. It had been almost a week since he had left her standing aghast on the tarmac at Tel Aviv airport. He still clung to the hope that she would eventually see the forest for the trees and realise the mistake she had made. He knew where her heart lay and where she belonged, even if she was questioning it. There had been no communication from Israel which added to his sense of unease. He had expected to hear from Ziva after a few days and was surprised to have heard nothing. He enquired whether Abby had heard from her and saw how disappointed she was not to have even received an e-mail from her. Gibbs was beginning to wonder if he had been wrong this whole time. Despite the insistence of Vance and others that Ziva was not as loyal to NCIS as he had always assumed, Gibbs refused to believe that this was the case. He saw what it had done to her to have to shoot her own half brother in order to save his life. Even if she was only following orders from her father, it wasn't easy for her and to this day he knew she still fought those demons. He took a large sip from his coffee mug and returned to his paper work.

Tony glanced over at his boss. He had been subdued for the last few days, ever since their return from Israel. He knew how much he missed Ziva and how he hated his team being torn apart. There had been no word from Ziva. This worried Tony. They had parted on such difficult terms and he felt like he just couldn't leave things the way they had ended. He checked his cell phone dozens of times each day, hoping for some communication from her but so far there had been nothing. He rubbed his injured left arm which was aching once again. It still acted as a physical reminder of his final dealings with Ziva and Rivkin. Right now he was supposed to be doing reports for Gibbs but was finding it increasingly hard to concentrate. At least Gibbs wasn't on his back looking for them like he usually was. As he re-read what he had typed on his monitor, he was startled when Director Vance shouted from the landing at MTAC for Gibbs to join him.

Gibbs looked up at Vance and then threw a quizzical look towards DiNozzo. He shrugged his shoulders before rising to his feet and grabbing another quick swig from his coffee. He trotted up the stairs and joined Leon on the landing.

"What is it, Leon?" Gibbs asked impatiently. He still hadn't forgotten how Vance had goaded him straight after he returned from Tel Aviv. His trust in his director was diminishing each day. His suspicions were growing yet he couldn't put his finger on exactly why.

"I've just had a call from Director David. He's asked for our assistance," Vance told him. "My office!"

Gibbs followed Vance into his office. He was surprised to see Fornell and a U.S. Marine General already seated at the meeting table. He nodded a voiceless greeting to each of them as he took his seat.

"You know Fornell," Leon began. "This is General Paul Jackson, Department of Defence. He might be able to help us with this one."

"Which 'one' exactly are you talking about?" Gibbs asked immediately.

"The day after you left Tel Aviv, Eli David ordered a group of his best officers to Somalia to find and eliminate the threat that the terrorist training camp posed. They were transported by freighter and were to land on the coast and make their way on foot to the camp. That was five days ago. There has been no communication from them since. They were supposed to make contact on landing and then again on location of the camp. No communication was ever received. It's as if they have vanished. He has requested our help in locating them," Leon explained.

"Why us?" Gibbs asked. "It's hardly our problem."

"His daughter is one of the missing officers," Vance announced.

"Ziva?" Gibbs exclaimed, his voice catching slightly on her name.

"Yes. He specifically asked for you, Gibbs," Leon told him, looking him in the eye. He waited to see how Gibbs would react but was frustrated when Gibbs retained his composed exterior and said nothing.

"So I have agreed to assist Mossad in locating their operatives. Have you any objection to that Agent Gibbs?" Vance asked disparagingly.

"Why would I object? So, have you got a plan of action?" Gibbs wondered, being careful not to be too snide to his director in front of guests.

"We do," Fornell piped up.

"I was wondering when you were going to jump in," Gibbs smiled to his old fiend.

"With the assistance of some troops already in the area, we are going in covertly. We will have 6 hours to locate the officers and get out of there. The DOD has authorised a missile strike on the camp so we won't have time to muck about," Fornell informed him.

"We?" Gibbs asked, a little surprised by Fornell's inclusion of himself in the mission.

"Yeah, we," Fornell replied. "This is a joint intelligence stroke rescue mission. If we manage to capture some high ranking terrorists while we're there, all the better. "

"Fine, do we know the exact location of this camp?" Gibbs asked.

"Satellite pictures show the camp is located here," General Jackson says, standing up and pointing to an area of desert almost fifty kilometres inland from the coast of Somalia on the map on the plasma screen. "The USS Ronald Reagan is currently in the Indian Ocean making its way to the area. We plan to airlift you to the carrier and from there deploy you in smaller landing craft to come ashore south of Obbia. A unit of Navy Seals will land with you. Once landed you'll be on your own until you radio the carrier for extraction. The Somalia government do not know we are carrying out this operation. If you get caught, you're on your own. We will deny any knowledge of the operation," the General explained coldly.

"Great, that's comforting," Gibbs commented looking towards Fornell. Fornell nodded in agreement.

"I will not order you to undertake this mission, Gibbs," Vance said. "This is voluntary. You can refuse and I will not think any less of you."

Gibbs smiled at Vance's words. He would not think any less of him. Not possible, Gibbs thought.

"You know I'll go, Leon" he decided immediately.

"And your team? I'll authorise them to go if you need them," Vance informed him.

"No, it's too risky and DiNozzo's injured. We'll be fine, right Tobias?"

"If you say so," Fornell replied.

"When do we leave?" Gibbs asked.

"Be at Norfolk Naval Air Station at 1700 hours. We'll have gear and weapons waiting for you," General Jackson told them. "Good luck gentlemen."

"Thanks," Fornell said standing and shaking the General's hand. Gibbs stood and did the same.

The two pals left the director's office, leaving the General and the Director to finalise plans for the operation. As they descended the stairs into the open office they smiled and joked. Gibbs reached his desk and sat while Fornell continued towards the elevator.

"So, I'll see you at 1700 hours then," Fornell said as he bade farewell. Gibbs raised his head and gave a slight nod of acknowledgement. Then as Fornell disappeared behind the closing elevator doors, Gibbs noticed McGee and DiNozzo looking at him.

"So, Boss, what was all that about?" DiNozzo asked bravely.

Gibbs was reluctant to tell them because he knew that they'd want to be involved in the rescue mission. So he decided to lie.

"Dinner date," he said without looking up. Lying was becoming easier and easier the longer he spent at this job he noticed. McGee or DiNozzo knew better to comment on how early that would be for dinner, but then again this was Gibbs and he did things according to his own timetable.

During the afternoon Gibbs slipped down to see Abby before he went. He just couldn't leave without saying goodbye to her.

"Gibbs!" she exclaimed as usual, delighted to see him. "Just what the doctor ordered," she said grabbing the Kaf Pow from his extended hand.

"So what brings you down to the dungeons? Was I supposed to do something for you?" she asked sheepishly.

"Nope," he smiled. "Just came down to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? Where are you going?" Abby asked half worried half surprised.

"Classified," he said apologetically.

"No, I don't like classified! Classified means dangerous. Why does it have to always be dangerous where you're going? That's so unfair. I mean how am I supposed to get anything done while you're away? I'll spend all my time worrying," she preached crossly.

"Don't worry Abs. I'll be fine," he said giving her a peck on the cheek. She stood sombrely with a sad look on her face. She hated when his team went on missions. Especially lately, too much bad stuff had happened. Gibbs bid her farewell and left the lab with his usual swagger.

"Come back safely!" she shouted after him. "Please," she whispered to herself.

Gibbs left the building without returning to the office or saying anything to Tony or McGee. He went home and readied himself for what was coming. He knew this mission was fraught with risk and that he would have to be physically and mentally fit for the challenges that lay ahead. He thought of Ziva and felt pangs of guilt for leaving her in Israel. He prayed that she was still alive. He hoped this would be a rescue mission and not a recovery one.

**_Reviews always welcome_**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Terrorist Camp – Somalia.**_

The room where she was held was stark and bare but cool and she was glad for that small mercy. The midday sun blared through the semi-circular window that lit the room. Thankfully now she was able to sit in the shadows and avail of the shade. She had no idea how long she had been captive in that room. She was sure it was several days at least. The first few days were a blur. She remembered being tied to a chair and the beatings. It was always the same guy, day after day, who would beat her. She remembered his breath. He smelt of cigarette smoke she noticed each time he stuck his face close to hers. He would come and demand information on NCIS. He seemed to know her though she couldn't figure out how. How could he know that she worked with NCIS? She tried to figure it out, to make sense of what was going on but her brain refused to work. She knew that she was more than likely concussed from the repeated punches to the head and face that she had endured. Her eyes were swollen almost shut. Her left cheek was extremely painful which led her to believe that it could be broken. The beatings and torture continued for days to no avail. She refused to speak. Her torturer was growing more and more frustrated by the day. She meanwhile grew weaker and weaker. He feared that he would kill her before extracting the information that he needed so he ordered that she be untied and given water and food. That was a day or two ago, she thought. Her training led her to expect that once she regained her strength it would start again. She allowed herself to shed a painful tear. She was scared and alone.

She thought of Gibbs and DiNozzo, McGee and Abby, her friends. She missed them. She was sorry that she would never see them again, sorry that their final few days were filled with suspicion and lies. She regretted that she would never get to say the things that she had always meant to say. It wasn't supposed to end like this. But at that moment, she wished that it would – end.

_**Norfolk Naval Air Station**_

Gibbs paid the taxi driver and walked to the main gate. There he met Fornell and they were taken to a hanger for a mission briefing. When they entered, Gibbs was stunned to see McGee and DiNozzo, minus his sling, standing chatting to some SEALs. He was furious and thundered over towards them.

"What the hell are you two doing here?" he demanded loudly.

"Couldn't have you going all on your own now, Boss," DiNozzo replied cheekily.

"If I wanted you with me I'd have asked," Gibbs pointed out unimpressed.

"Yea, well, we figured that you'd be half way to Africa and then change your mind and by then it would be too late, so we thought we'd save you the trouble and just be here for when you do change your mind," Tony explained failing to control the broad smile that was growing across his face.

"Ah hell, DiNozzo. I can't spend my time looking out for you two over there," Gibbs admitted crossly.

"Nobody's asking you to Boss," McGee responded defiantly before he had time to say anything else. "We're not kids. We've been weapons trained. We can handle ourselves."

Gibbs glared at McGee who shirked noticeably from his glare. He turned to DiNozzo.

"What about you and that arm?"

"I can still hold and fire my weapon. Don't worry about me," he replied confidently.

"Two extra men can't hurt, Jethro," Fornell pointed out.

Gibbs knew he was going to lose this one.

"Come on then. Better get our packs," he said turning towards the group of men checking backpacks and weapons.

Following a mission briefing a group of twenty men including Gibbs, DiNozzo, McGee and Fornell boarded the military cargo plane for their long haul flight to the Indian Ocean. It was a boneshaker of a flight. As usual Gibbs managed to sleep and relax for the duration. DiNozzo was amazed at his ability to sleep under such conditions. Between the unending thunder of the engines, the cold and the bumping, Tony felt on edge through out the whole thing. McGee amused himself by reading and listening to his IPod. Fornell, like Gibbs seemed fairly relaxed and slept on and off. After almost ten hours in the air, one of the pilots came back and told everyone to buckle up as they were approaching the USS Ronald Reagan. Tony knew that landing on the carrier was one of the most dangerous manoeuvres a plane like this could attempt. His blood pressure rose considerably at the thought of it. The descent was bumpy and Tony gripped his seat tightly. A smiled crept across Gibbs face as he watched Tony and saw how nervous he was. Within minutes they bounced onto the deck and then came to a sudden, whiplash inducing, stop as the plane was hooked onto the deck of the carrier.

The sun was high in the sky as they clambered out of the cargo plane. Tony put on his shades and surveyed his former ship. He had been NCIS Agent on Board for a while after Vance had spilt Gibbs' team a couple of years back. Not much had changed. He recognised a few faces, but none were what he'd call friends. Gibbs was anxious to get below deck and finalise the plans for insertion into Somalia. He swung his backpack onto his back and followed one of the crew to their quarters. They were given time to shower and eat and then they had to prepare for the mission.

The plan was to land small craft onto a beach at night. They were then to make their way towards a designated road where there would be a truck waiting. This would be courtesy of Fornell's guys on the ground. Then under cover of darkness they would travel within 2 miles of the camp before leaving the truck and going the rest of the way on foot to avoid detection. At least that was the plan.

A few hours later they gathered in the briefing room for a final run through. They were dressed in fatigues and were being issued their weapons. McGee and DiNozzo felt nervous and a little excited at the same time. They had never been involved in such a military style operation before. It was a major testosterone rush for them as they stood with all these alpha male Navy Seals, preparing for their mission. Gibbs on the other hand was taking it all in his stride, checking his weapons and his pack carefully, having done it all before. He felt at home, his military experience showing.

"All right guys, it's time," the ships commander said from the top of the room. "Make your way topside where you will hitch a ride to the Freedom from where you will board small motor craft to take you to the coast. God speed," he said humbly.

The twenty men gathered their equipment and trudged to the sea deck to the waiting Seahawk helicopter. The moon offered little light as they climbed on board. They sat in silence as the noise from the rotors grew and they took off. Glances were exchanged as nerves began to twinge. McGee watched in awe as the Seals chilled out and joked and laughed and he wished he could feel as relaxed as they did. Truth be told his stomach was in his boots and he was starting to regret ever listening to Tony. This was not going to be easy. They might not come back from this one he realised. But then he thought of Ziva and remembered why he agreed to do this in the first place. Ziva was still a member of their team and needed their help. He wasn't going to let her down so he sucked it up and sat fists clenched, ready to take on whatever was thrown at him.

Tony knew McGee was nervous. Why wouldn't he be? It was only natural. They were flying into the unknown. He too felt tense. He was prepared for the physical aspect of the mission. He knew there would be fire fights and more than likely casualties. He was prepared to find Ziva and get her out of there alive. What he was not prepared for was the possibility that she was already dead. He wouldn't allow himself to even think such a thing. She was alive and she was coming home, that was the only scenario as far as he was concerned.

Gibbs sat facing his two younger agents. He was uneasy, not about the mission as such, more uneasy about the fact that he was leading these two men into a volatile situation that could cost them their lives. He felt protective of them. Despite what he had said back at Norfolk Naval Air Station, he would be watching their backs. They were inexperienced at this type of military action and would need guidance. He closed his eyes and rested his head back against the seat. He remembered Ziva's face as he left her on the tarmac in Tel Aviv. She was stunned as he turned his back on her. He hoped she knew that it was for her own good. She had trust issues and he needed her to figure those out for herself. He wanted her back on his team but he also wanted his team to remain intact. Transferring anyone to another team was not on the table as far as he was concerned. His team worked. He'd like it to stay that way. He felt guilty for leaving her behind and blamed himself for the mess she was now in. He hoped they would find her because if anything happened to her he would never forgive himself.

The flight took a little over thirty minutes. They touched down on the USS Freedom which was patrolling Somali waters. There was little time for exchanges of any kind as the team was transferred immediately to two small motorised landing craft. Within minutes their gear was stowed and they were being lowered over the side into the calm waters of the Indian Ocean.

_**TBC**_


	3. Chapter 3

"Hope you brought your sea legs Probie," DiNozzo shouted as their boat bounced over wave after wave. McGee scowled, unimpressed at his attempt at humour. In fact he had taken motion sickness tablets but he was still feeling more than a little seedy and couldn't wait to get off the water. However he had no intention of letting Tony or Gibbs know this. Sea spray splashed onto them as their boat cut through the water. The salt water burned their faces. Ahead in the distance they could see the dark shadow of land. McGee was relieved that soon he would be on dry land. He took another deep breath just as Tony gave him an encouraging slap on the back.

"I'm fine, Tony!" he snapped turning around angrily. He could really do without DiNozzo pushing his buttons right now.

"Cut it out DiNozzo!" Gibbs hollered with a mean look in his eyes. Tony decided to listen for once.

Before they knew it two of the SEALs were leaping into the water and dragging the boat to the beach. They all clambered out and took their gear. Some of the SEALs concealed their boats in the foliage at the head of the beach. They all began to put their packs on their backs and started their hike to the rendezvous point.

As they made their weapons ready, Tony and McGee noticed that Gibbs was carrying an assault rifle. All they had been issued were MK23 handguns.

"Hey, Boss, how come they didn't give us on of those?" DiNozzo asked as they walked off the beach towards a track through the trees.

"Have you ever fired an M4, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"Well, no," Tony admitted.

"That's why!" Gibbs replied, ending that conversation abruptly. Gibbs held his weapon low at the ready, scanning their surroundings for anything out of the ordinary. He was at his most alert in situations like these. Tony realised stealth and speed were of the essence so shut up and continued on following the Navy SEALs who were leading the way. As they reached a larger road the Platoon Commander raised his fist in a signal to get down and stay quiet. They looked up ahead and could just make out the outline of a large truck parked at the side of the road. He walked on while the rest of the unit remained concealed. Then he gave a signal using his torchlight. Another signal was returned. Satisfied that everything was alright, he turned back to his unit and signalled them to follow him. He was talking to the driver by the time they reached him.

"Climb straight in, guys," he ordered and everyone, including Gibbs did as they were ordered. Once everyone was on board, the engine burst into life and the tarp was lowered to conceal the platoon. The truck bumped down the uneven road until it eventually reached another with a tarmac surface. They travelled unimpeded for close to an hour before the truck took another turn and continued down another uneven track where it finally ground to a halt.

They remained seated until the driver came to them and raised the cover and invited them to jump down. When they did, they saw that they were in a barren area which was surrounded on all sides by rocky hills with few shrubs. Not much cover, Gibbs noticed. The unit regrouped and split into smaller tactical groups each with different objectives.

Gibbs and McGee were in one group of five, Fornell in another and DiNozzo with yet another. Gibbs and DiNozzo's groups were charged with locating the missing Mossad operatives and the capture of any hostiles that may provide both governments with valuable information. Fornell and his unit were responsible for the extraction of any intelligence that may be in the camp. The fourth unit were to provide back up, communication and covering fire if need be. As they waited for instructions, the Platoon Commander returned from observing the camp from a position on one of the rocky outcrops that lay in the hills above them.

"Okay, men, it all looks pretty quiet down there. Go in silent. No firing unless absolutely necessary. Building by building sweeps, got it?" he reminded them.

"Yes Sir," the SEALs replied enthusiastically.

Then the groups began to split up to their designated camp entry points. As they did, Gibbs called over to DiNozzo.

"Keep your head down, DiNozzo."

"You too, Boss," Tony replied. It was about as close as he'd ever come to telling Gibbs to be careful to his face. Gibbs nodded an acknowledgement in his direction before following his unit leader. McGee gave Tony a meek wave as he trotted behind Gibbs. They circled the camp to the south while Tony and his group prepared for entry from the east.

Silently Gibbs and his troop neared the camp boundary. With their night vision goggles, they could see that there were only three permanent structures. The remainder of the camp consisted of tented accommodation. As they surveyed the camp Gibbs saw a handful of armed terrorists patrolling the compound. The Navy SEALs that accompanied them led the way. Then one of them sneaked up close to one tent and as a guard walked past he grabbed him by the chin and quickly silenced him. Then he signalled for the others to follow. Carefully they entered the tent, weapons at the ready. However, they relaxed when they discovered that this particular tent was obviously just a storage area for provisions. It was all clear.

One by one they proceeded to check each tent meeting little resistance. Gibbs was anxious to get to the single storey building that stood at the centre of the encampment surrounded by tents. If he was holding anyone captive, that would be where they would be held. Eventually they made it undetected to the building in question. The five men stood with their backs tight against the wall. They paused for breath before the lead seal opened the unlocked door. As he did he was met by a very startled Arab looking man wearing military khaki's and a scarf. The man reached for his weapon but fumbled and was thrown back against the wall as a double tap of bullets slammed into his chest. He slid down to the ground, silenced forever. One by one they entered the building. They sneaked through the dark corridor checking each room. Finally they reached a door at the end of the corridor. This was the only one that was locked. Using a small explosive charge the Seal blew the lock and burst through the door. Initially the room appeared empty also. However as Gibbs and McGee walked in, they noticed a crumpled heap in a corner close to the window.

Cautiously, they approached the figure, weapons trained the entire time. As it became apparent that the figure was in fact a person Gibbs lowered his weapon and bent down to check if they were alive. Slowly he rolled the person onto their back and it was then that he realised that it was a woman. For a moment he failed to recognise her as her face was so badly bruised and swollen. He felt for a pulse and as he did she turned quickly and grabbed his wrist. It was then he realised that it was Ziva.

"Ziva, it's me," Gibbs said quietly.

"Michael?" she replied her confusion evident.

"No, Ziva, it's me, Gibbs," he told her as he brushed her hair from her face.

"Gibbs? Am I dreaming?" she asked not believing her eyes.

"It's not a dream, Ziva, we're taking you home," he replied compassionately. "Can you sit up?"

With Gibbs help she managed to raise herself into a seated position.

"McGee, give me a hand," Gibbs barked as he tried to get Ziva to her feet. Immediately, McGee took one of her arms while Gibbs took the other and while trying to stifle a whimper, she got to her feet. Her legs felt heavy and her head was spinning but with the support of Gibbs and McGee she managed to walk out of her prison cell. With the SEALs offering protection, the trio slowly returned to the cover of the bushes and rocks that surrounded the camp. As they left they could head gunfire from the other end of the camp. They presumed that another group had been discovered and they were battling their way out. Gibbs thought of Fornell and DiNozzo and hoped that they were okay.

After several agonising minutes, Ziva, Gibbs and McGee had made it back to the rendezvous point. There they lay Ziva onto the ground and examined her injuries more extensively. Thompson, one of the Seals was also a medic and he began to catalogue her injuries. He could see she was dehydrated and gave her water to drink. He cleaned and dressed her facial lacerations and the rope burns that were painfully evident on her wrists and ankles. He noticed that she was guarding her abdomen and ribs and suspected internal injuries but knew that treating those would have to wait until they got back to the carrier.

Gibbs was concerned, not only for Ziva but also about the fact that neither DiNozzo nor Fornell's team had returned yet. Having heard the gun fire he feared that they were in trouble.

"McGee, stay with her," he ordered as he stood up with purpose.

"Where are you going?" McGee asked, surprised that he was willing to leave them there.

"To lend a hand," he replied before grabbing his rifle and jogging towards the east of the compound.

McGee comforted Ziva and watched Gibbs disappear behind the hills. Deep down he had an unnerving feeling that this wasn't over just yet.

_**And it's not. More to come. Let me know if you're liking it or not.**_


	4. Chapter 4

Gibbs manoeuvred with stealth through the arid hills eyes peeled for any sign of Fornell or DiNozzo. He darted from bush to bush, grateful for what little cover they provided. Soon the camp was back in view. Scanning the area he could see a group of armed men taking cover against the wall of one of the tents. They looked like Navy SEALs but he couldn't be sure whose group. He decided to head in their direction. Crouching as he ran he remained alert to the probable dangers that lay ahead. With his weapon at the ready, he continued on through the darkness. As he approached an open area the eerie silence was shattered by a burst of gunfire, which was immediately followed by returning fire.

Gibbs instinctively dived to the ground for cover and lay flat on his stomach. He raised his head slightly and tried to see from where the gunfire was emanating. The muzzle flashes were more evident through the night vision goggles which he still wore. The shooting was coming from the direction where he had seen the group of SEALs moments earlier. Realising that they might need his help he got back to his feet and ran to the nearest tent for cover. He crept around the tent so he could get a better view of what was happening. There were a couple of bodies on the ground. Thankfully none of them were wearing the fatigues that he and the other units were wearing. As he crept closer, he was startled by another armed figure diving for the same cover as he. His finger almost squeezed the trigger but thankfully he realised that it was a familiar face just in time.

"Jeez, DiNozzo, I could've killed you," he shouted above the now intermittent gunfire.

"Glad you didn't, Boss," Tony replied his life having flashed before his eyes.

"Did you find any more prisoners?" Gibbs asked.

"No one. Did you find Ziva?" Tony wondered in hope.

"Yeah, she's with McGee," Gibbs informed him.

"Is she alright?"

"They beat on her pretty badly. She's tough though," he replied still watching the camp.

As they spoke another Navy SEAL joined them. He was an imposing six foot four hulk of a man who ordered them back to the rendez-vous point.

"The missile strike has been ordered for zero four twenty. That gives us ten minutes to get clear. Go, now!" he commanded as he hustled the rest of his unit out of the camp.

"Where's Fornell?" Gibbs asked one of the retreating SEALs whom he recognised as one of Fornell's unit.

"Not sure, Sir. He was going into that tent over there last time I saw him. Then the shooting started. I took cover and didn't see where he went after that," the SEAL replied.

"Godammit!" Gibbs shouted. Tony looked at him sensing his intentions. He knew Gibbs would never leave a man behind. Gibbs turned and appraised the situation. The dust was beginning to settle where the gunfight had been. There were more bodies lying prone on the ground. There was no movement. It looked like the imediate threat had been eliminated. He decided that there was still time to look for his friend.

"Give me five minutes," he said to DiNozzo as he turned and ran into the camp. He didn't give Tony a chance to even try and talk him out of it. He was gone, his weapon sweeping from one direction to another, prepared for anything. He looked every inch a marine. He approached the bodies, praying that none of them were his friend. Much to his relief Fornell was not among the dead.

Cautiously he made his way towards the tent where the SEAL had last seen Tobias. Keeping vigilant he approached the opening. Slowly he pushed open the tent flap with the barrel of his weapon. It was then he saw the boots. His heart skipped a beat when he saw the bloodied body of a man lying face down on the ground. He stepped in through the entrance before a movement further inside the tent warned him of imminent danger. Instinctively he dived and rolled just before a shot rang out. As he rolled back up onto one knee and steadied himself to return fire, a flicker of recognition stopped him.

"Tobias?" he said straining to see the man sitting awkwardly in the shadows.

"Jethro? Ah Christ, I thought you were one of them," Fornell explained, a hint of pain in his voice.

"Lucky for me you can't shoot straight," Gibbs mocked approaching his friend. Fornell guffawed slightly before pain took his breath away. Gibbs knew immediately that his friend was injured.

"Where are you hit?" he asked as he knelt beside him and tried to see for himself.

"The gut," Fornell replied removing his blood soaked hand from the wound close to his navel. While Gibbs would like to have stopped the bleeding and tend to his pal's wound, he knew they hadn't any time to spare.

"We've gotta get out of here," Gibbs told him. "Can you walk?"

"Maybe … if you give me a hand," Fornell replied.

With some effort, Gibbs managed to get Fornell to his feet. Fornell's breathing was rapid and he was obviously in great pain but he never complained. Gibbs put his arm over his shoulder and took the weight of his friend. However, this meant that he was unable to keep his weapon at the ready and this put both of them in danger. Gibbs knew they were running out of time so hurried as best he could. They got out of the tent undiscovered and began a hazardous route to the camp's perimeter. Fornell was weak and struggling to stay on his feet. At times Gibbs could feel that he was just dragging his friend along, but he would do whatever it took to get him out of there. He had no intention of ever having to tell Diane or little Emily that he had left Daddy to die in some foreign land.

They had almost reached safety when Gibbs heard the popping of rifle fire behind him. He hauled his friend towards the rocks. At least they would provide some cover for them. They were almost there when Gibbs felt a massive blow to his back as a bullet slammed into his Kevlar vest. He stumbled forward onto his knees and dropped Fornell roughly onto the ground. Gibbs coughed and tried to get his breath back.

"Are you hit?" Fornell asked with concern.

"I'll be okay in a minute," Gibbs replied sounding winded. After a few lengthy seconds he had slightly recovered. With his breath returning, he fingered his weapon and turned and faced where the shots had originated. He could see a lone figure walking boldly through the camp his rifle resting confidently on his shoulder, aimed into the air. He thinks he's killed us, Gibbs presumed.

With that, Gibbs rested the barrel of his rifle on the rock, took aim and with a single shot eradicated the threat. Gibbs relaxed back against the rock, still struggling a little for breath. He was anxious to meet up with the rest of the SEALs and get out of there. They couldn't risk remaining where they were.

"Let's get the hell out of here," Gibbs said, getting shakily to his feet. "C'mon."

Painfully and with great effort on his part, he pulled Fornell back to his feet and they headed as far away from the camp as they could get. Gibbs knew time was of the essence and that the strike could be anytime now. As they rounded one of the larger hills, they were met by an out of breath DiNozzo and one of the SEALs.

"There you are!" he said, relieved to have found them. "You found him then."

Gibbs glared at DiNozzo. He hated when people stated the obvious. The Navy SEAL with him took Fornell and helped him away from danger while DiNozzo and Gibbs followed.

"Hey, Boss, are you hit?" Tony asked noticing the blood on the back of his fatigues and his somewhat unsteady gait.

"Took one in the vest," Gibbs told him.

"But there's blood…" Tony pointed out.

"Yeah? Probably Fornell's," he replied as they eventually reached the others. Just as they did, one of them shouted "Incoming!"

They all took cover as the guided missile, which had been fired from the USS Freedom winged its way towards the camp. The ground shook beneath their feet and the sky lit up as the missile obliterated its target. The air around them filled with dust and smoke. Mission accomplished. It was time to get moving again and return to their extraction point.

Gibbs and DiNozzo linked up with McGee and Ziva once more.

"How is she doing?" Gibbs asked his junior agent looking down at Ziva who was oblivious to all that was happening.

"She's pretty weak. We really need to get her to hospital. How's Fornell?" McGee asked looking over at the medic who was tending to him.

"Got himself shot in the gut. He needs a hospital too," Gibbs explained feeling a little like he could do with a visit to the E.R. himself. He was starting to feel a little light headed. Probably the exertion and the blow to his back he thought.

"Okay men, back to the truck ASAP," the C.O. ordered. Everyone gathered their equipment and a few of the SEALs volunteered to carry the injured. It didn't take long to get to the truck. Gibbs was grateful because his legs were beginning to feel like lead. Maybe he wasn't as fit as he had thought, he considered.

They all climbed into the back of the truck and it wasn't long before they were bouncing along the rough track. Gibbs realised that the pain in his back was much more noticeable and he was starting to suspect that he may have bruised ribs or something of that nature. He was pleased when they reached the proper roadway and settled back for the rest of the journey in relative comfort. Before he knew it, the truck ground to a halt. The journey seemed to have flown. Had he fallen asleep? He couldn't remember. The others were jumping down from the truck. Gibbs rose slowly to follow them. His vision blurred all of a sudden. He swayed slightly and tried to steady himself. It didn't go unnoticed.

"Boss, are you okay?" Tony asked alarmed at the sight.

"Yeah, DiNozzo, I'm fine," Gibbs replied without his usual sharpness.

As he climbed down, Tony noticed that the blood on the seat where Gibbs had sat was wet. He looked at Gibbs back as he crouched to jump down. His shirt was soaked. That wasn't Fornell's blood, Tony realised, it was Gibbs' blood.

"Boss, you're bleeding," Tony pointed out.

"I'm wearing a vest, DiNozzo, I couldn't be bleeding," Gibbs snapped as he jumped down from the truck. Upon landing he fell to his hands and knees. Tony jumped down immediately to his side. Gibbs didn't even attempt to get up.

"I need a little help over here," he shouted to the medic who was checking on Fornell. Thompson, the medic, ran over straight away. They sat Gibbs on the ground and leaned him forward to try and see exactly where the blood was coming from. Gently they removed his Kevlar vest. As they did, Thompson and DiNozzo exchanged concerned glances when they saw the hole in the vest. The bullet had gone straight through. DiNozzo paled visibly upon realisation that his boss had been shot with an armour piercing bullet.

"Agent Gibbs, you've been shot," the medic announced straight out.

"Ah hell," was all that Gibbs replied. That would explain how crap he'd been feeling. It felt like there was a weight on his chest, making it difficult for him to breathe.

"There's an entry wound just below your shoulder blade. Don't see an exit wound. How do you feel?" the medic asked. Gibbs looked up into his face and gave him one of his "how do you think I feel" type glares. The medic wasn't even slightly intimidated though.

"Any chest pain, difficulty breathing?" he asked. Gibbs nodded. Thompson poured antiseptic on the wound causing Gibbs to wince before sticking a field dressing over it. "That'll have to do," he told him outright.

"Can he be moved?" the C.O asked, anxious to get the troops back to the beach.

"The sooner the better," Thompson replied. He signalled to some of his colleagues to lend a hand and they helped Gibbs to his feet. They left the truck and began the hike to the beach. Tony's face was etched with worry as he watched his boss being helped by two Navy SEALs. It wasn't very often that he had seen Gibbs in need of anyone's help. He wanted to be the one to help but with his broken arm, he knew he would be of little assistance so offered only vocal encouragement. Thankfully the beach wasn't too far from the drop off point.

By the time they reached the beach, Gibbs was really struggling for breath. Tony noticed blood bubbles on his lips and knew that it couldn't be a good sign. His face was ashen and beads of sweat trickled down his face. The two Navy SEALs helped Gibbs into the boat. Tony climbed in with him while McGee looked after Ziva in the other Zodiac. Tony called Thompson back when he realised that Gibbs was losing consciousness. He was scared for his boss.

"He's getting worse," Tony pointed out as Thompson moved across the small craft towards him. Thompson checked his pulse. It was getting weaker. He opened Gibbs shirt and put his ear to the right side of his chest. It was as he suspected. No breath sounds. Gibbs pleural cavity was filling with blood. It was making it very difficult for him to breath. He would have to perform a thoracostomy to drain the blood. He had hoped that he wouldn't have to do it in the field but Gibbs condition was rapidly deteriorating. It was far from an ideal setting to cut into a man's chest but necessity knows no law. He asked the Platoon C.O. to wait before casting off so that he could perform the emergency procedure. The C.O told him he could have five minutes. The medic rooted through his kit and found the chest tube, scalpel and the medi-tape. He had done the procedure a few times but never under such conditions. He had no choice.

It was while this was all going on that Fornell realised that there was something seriously wrong with his friend. Despite his own injury, he strained to see what was going on in the other craft.

"McGee, what's wrong with Jethro? Tell me!" he demanded.

"He was shot through his vest. I heard the medic say that he's bleeding into his chest. They're trying to help him breath," McGee explained as calmly as he could. He tried his best to remain composed for both Fornell and Ziva's sake but he had seen Gibbs and knew how serious his injury could be. He didn't see why they had to make it back to the Freedom before linking up with the helicopters to take them to the carrier. Surely with seriously injured people on the beach they could get the Seahawks to pick them up from the beach and fly directly to the Ronald Reagan.

He jumped back out of his boat and marched with determination to the Platoon Commander.

"Can't you call in an emergency air lift out of here for the injured?" he asked the imposing officer.

"What?" he replied turning around, startled by the young agent.

"I said why can't you have the injured air lifted out of here?" Tim repeated.

"Because our mission doesn't involve air support," he replied.

"Can't it change? I mean there are two men over there possibly bleeding to death and a girl with God knows what kind of injuries. They need medical attention sooner rather than later," McGee reminded him.

"I can't just go and change the mission just to suit me," the Commander replied.

"Well then, change it to suit them. You could save their lives," McGee said, hoping to play on the SEAL's hero complex. The Commander looked at the usually meek young agent. He knew he was right. He could cop some flack from the brass but people's lives were at stake. He turned to his communications officer and told him to request an emergency airlift directly to the Ronald Reagan for the three wounded.

McGee was relieved and walked over to where Thompson was treating Gibbs. He reached him just in time to see him cut a small incision between Gibbs ribs and stick his finger through it. Gross, he thought. Then Thompson inserted a tube into the incision and once it was in place, blood dripped from it, releasing the pressure from Gibbs lungs. The sound of his breathing improved almost immediately. He watched as the pale figure's eyes fluttered as the improved blood oxygen level brought him back around.

McGee looked on and felt relief knowing that the Seahawk was being dispatched to evacuate Gibbs, Fornell and Ziva off the beach and to the relative safety of the sickbay on board ship. He hoped it wouldn' be too late.

**_TBC_**

**_Thanks for the review guys! Hope ur enjoying it. Let me know what u think either way._**


	5. Chapter 5

_**Sorry for the delay. I'm putting up 2 chapters in the hope that you'll all forgive me! **_

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Back on the Somali beach the first hint of dawn was glowing on the horizon. Soon the SEAL units would no longer have the protection of darkness. They would be vulnerable as they waited for the Seahawk helicopter to reach them. The Platoon Commander ordered a secure perimeter to be established to provide protection for the rest of the unit and the injured while they awaited the arrival of the helicopter. McGee felt uncomfortable and helpless waiting for the unknown. He observed Ziva closely. She was pretty weak. She drifted in and out of consciousness the whole time. She kept mumbling incoherently and repeating something in Hebrew but he couldn't understand it.

Fornell was sleeping close by. He was exhausted. Despite his injury he had been doing pretty well. He had remained conscious throughout the whole truck journey from the camp. The medic had given him morphine for his pain which had made him drowsy. That coupled with the blood loss led him to eventually succumb to sleep. McGee kept a watchful eye on him though, just to make sure he was still breathing.

From where he sat, McGee could hear Tony talking to Gibbs. Since the medic had released the pressure from Gibbs chest, he had slowly regained consciousness. Tony was talking to him, trying to keep him that way. If Gibbs hadn't been so dazed and had the strength, he would have head-slapped Tony from where they sat straight onto the carrier for talking such nonsense. He was gibbering on about some God forsaken movie which he felt Gibbs would enjoy, starring none other than Jessica Alba. Who the F was Jessica Alba Gibbs wondered? It may not have been having quite the calming effect Tony had hoped but even annoying Gibbs was doing some good and keeping him awake. Poor McGee was feeling a little over-whelmed as he sat looking at his friends scattered on the sand, awaiting rescue. To him it felt like one of those war movies Tony was always mouthing on about, with the injured lying on a beach awaiting rescue. Then out of nowhere Abby popped into his head. 'She's really going to kill me for this' he thought. She'll wonder how come I didn't protect Gibbs. I promised her that I would. As those thoughts flew around his head, he heard the sound of rotors in the distance.

"Thank God," he whispered as he stood up to try and see the chopper. Eventually it came into view. As it closed in on the beach, the C.O. was shouting into his radio, then he came over to McGee and DiNozzo.

"They don't think it's a good idea to land on the beach. It will kick up a storm of dust. They're going to lower one of their guys down and bring the injured up one at a time," he said, holding onto his hat and shouting to be heard above noise of the rotors.

And that was how it happened. First Fornell was lifted into the Seahawk, then Gibbs and finally Ziva. There was a medic on board as part of the crew so he was busy trying to stabilise his three recently acquired patients. DiNozzo, McGee and the SEALs remained on the beach and were ordered back to the USS Freedom by boat. As the Seahawk disappeared from view, DiNozzo climbed into the same boat as McGee.

"Do you think they'll be alright?" McGee asked looking worried.

"Sure they will," Tony replied trying to be as convincing as he could. "They'll be fine," he insisted. Soon one of the SEALs was pushing their boat off the beach and into the calm waters of the Indian Ocean. Their craft cut through the glass like water with ease. Both agents remained quiet throughout the journey, their thoughts with their friends.

Miles further out to sea, the Seahawk was approaching the aircraft carrier. Medical teams were on standby to take the injured to sickbay. The Senior Medical Officer stood on deck, waiting to assess their injuries. He would decide their treatment and whether anyone needed to be evacuated to a medical facility on land. As the Seahawk bounced onto the flight deck, swarms of Corpsmen descended on the aircraft with stretchers to remove the injured from the flight deck and below as quickly as possible.

"What have we got Lieutenant?" the Senior Medical Officer asked.

"Two gunshot wounds, one assault victim," he began before listing the treatment he had given to each of them.

"Okay, Lieutenant, we'll take it from here," the S.M.O replied before turning and following the stretchers that were being carried to sickbay.

The sickbay was buzzing with personnel as the three injured were placed on treatment tables. Each of the agents was assessed individually. The Senior Medical Officer and the Ships Surgeon agreed that Fornell was the priority as his vitals were low and he was going downhill fairly rapidly. The Air Wing Flight Surgeon was also called for, as his surgical skills would also be necessary today. Fornell was moved to the ships surgery where he was operated on almost immediately.

As Gibbs was examined he regained consciousness once again. Unaware of where he was he began to panic and fight the nurses who were stripping him of his bloodied fatigues.

"Sir, it's alright. We're going to help you," a Corpsman explained. "You're back on the Ronald Reagan, Sir."

"Where… are my team?" Gibbs asked breathlessly.

"Not sure Sir. I'll find out for you if you just lay back down," he promised.

Gibbs did as he was asked. Truth be told, he felt as weak as a kitten. He lay back gratefully because the whole room was spinning when he raised his head. A nurse placed an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose and told him to breathe normally. Another Corpsman took portable x-rays of his chest as he lay there. They needed to find the bullet. Shortly after, the Senior Medical Officer approached a drowsy Gibbs with x-rays in hand.

"Agent Gibbs, I have your x-rays here. The bullet is lodged just behind your sternum, here. It entered your body dangerously close to your spine but by some miracle it missed. Looks like it nicked your lung here," he said holding the x-ray towards the light and pointing for Gibbs benefit. "You're a lucky man. We'll get you into surgery and remove the bullet and you should be feeling better soon."

Gibbs thanked him weakly. The sooner the better, he thought. He turned his head to the side in an effort to see where Ziva was. She was on a bed at the other side of the room, surrounded by nurses and Corpsmen.

"How's she doing?" Gibbs asked the nurse who stood close to the head of his bed. She turned around and looked over. She couldn't really tell from where she stood.

She looked down at Gibbs and could see the fear in his eyes. It was obvious to her that he cared deeply for the young lady.

"I'll check for you," she said kindly. He watched as she walked over and talked to her colleagues. They both turned and looked back at him for a moment and they turned away again. The nurse was smiling as she walked back towards Gibbs.

"She's stable," she announced putting her hand on his, a comforting gesture. "She's exhausted and dehydrated but they're dealing with that. They're running some tests to determine if she has any internal injuries and are monitoring her for signs of serious head injury, but at the moment things look positive."

Gibbs felt a wave of relief wash over him. At least they got her back. He asked again about the rest of the team. Someone familiar with their mission was able to tell him that they were on their way by sea to link up with the USS Freedom and that there were no other casualties reported. Absorbing that information Gibbs relaxed back onto the bed. He was finding it harder and harder to keep his eyes open. He closed them and slipped into the welcome warmth of the darkness. The nurse became concerned when she couldn't rouse him and called one of the Corpsmen. He examined him and noted the changes in his Obs.

"We can't wait any longer. Let's move him to surgery," he ordered with composure.

**_TBC_**


	6. Chapter 6

Just over an hour later, another Seahawk returned from the USS Freedom, carrying the remaining members of the SEAL unit on board as well as DiNozzo and McGee. From the moment they touched down, Tony and McGee were asking how their colleagues were. Not surprisingly no one on the flight deck had a clue. They desperately wanted to go below to sickbay but were told they had to attend a mission debrief before they could do so. They knew they had no choice so did as they were ordered. However, neither agent was able to concentrate during the debriefing. They were too distracted. All Tony could think about was how bad Gibbs looked as they loaded him into the Seahawk. He tried to ignore his fears that maybe his boss didn't make it. He urged himself to stay positive and inwardly scolded himself for such negativity. And although he was worried about Ziva as well, he knew she was tough and had no doubts that she would be fine. He just hoped she could forgive him one day for killing Rivkin. He missed their friendship and hoped that it to would recover.

For the bulk of the debriefing, the Platoon Commander answered most of the questions. It went on for almost another hour. Finally, it ended and both McGee and DiNozzo high tailed it to sickbay. As they tried to enter they were stopped by a Corpsman who explained to them that sickbay was very busy at the moment and they wouldn't be allowed to enter. Tony pleaded with the young medical officer, explaining what they had just gone through and how they desperately needed to see their friends. The Corpsman could see the worry etched on both their faces. He relented and allowed them in.

When they got inside they could see Fornell on one bed surrounded by monitors. He looked peaceful as he slept. Ziva was in another bed in the far corner. She too was resting, unaware of their arrival. Tony became really concerned when he realised that Gibbs was no where to be seen.

"The other man that came in with them, where is he?" Tony asked in a panicked voice.

"He's in surgery at the moment," one of the nurses informed them.

"Is he going to be okay?" McGee wondered.

"I really don't know. I wasn't treating him. I'm pretty sure he was stable when they brought him in though," she replied.

"Can we wait until he's out?" Tony asked.

"I can't see why not," she smiled flirtatiously. Tony responded with a meek smile. Usually he would have been more open to her flirting but he had too much on his mind. He walked slowly over to where Ziva lay. He stared down at her. She looked horrendous. He face was a mass of bruises and contusions. She was far from the raven haired beauty that he admired from his desk each day. He felt sick to his stomach looking at her like this. How could anyone do this to her? As he stood watching she stirred.

"Gibbs?" she asked, sensing that there was someone there but unable to see clearly through her swollen eyes.

"No, Ziva, it's me. Tony," he said touching her hand gently. She turned her head to try and get a clearer look.

"What are you doing here?" she asked a little crossly.

"I was worried about you," he replied. "I wanted to help."

"Really? The last time you wanted to help you killed Michael. Maybe I don't need your help," she snapped allowing a sob escape as she did so.

"I'm sorry. I'll go then," Tony said, his heart breaking as he realised that she still hated him. He turned to leave. As he did, she reached for his hand.

"Tony, don't," Ziva sobbed regretting her harshness.

"What?"

"Don't go. I'm sorry. I should be thanking you and Gibbs. Where is Gibbs?" she wondered doing her best to look around the room.

"The doctors are looking after him," Tony told her, playing down the seriousness of Gibbs injury, not wanting to worry her too much. "He'll be back soon," Tony said, pulling up a stool beside her bed and holding her hand softly. "McGeek is here too," Tony told her.

"Good. Hey McGee," she said drowsily.

"Hey, Ziva. You take it easy and get well. Rest, okay," he said leaning in and kissing her gently on the forehead. "We'll be here when you wake up."

She closed here eyes and allowed the fatigue to pull her into a deep welcoming slumber. As she slept McGee kept watch on Fornell bcause he knew Gibbs would want him to. He was still sleeping following his surgery but the nurses said that he was doing fine. A short time later Gibbs was wheeled back into the room from the operating theatre. Both Tony and McGee stood up when they saw him returning. Tony's first thought was "Thank God". He had made it. The Corpsmen and nursing staff settled him back into his bed and set up drips and drains around him. A nasal canula was placed under his nose and a crisp white sheet pulled up to his chest.

"How is he?" McGee asked when he saw the Corpsman filling out a chart at the bottom of the bed.

"Pretty well, considering. I don't know how he made it back to the ship though. The bullet lodged behind his sternum, nicking the upper lobe of his lung on entry. He lost a lot of blood. It was a tricky operation but the ships surgeon is one of the best. His main concern is for the muscle damage that may result around the spine and neck. It could be a long recovery for him though," he explained.

"But he's going to be okay though," Tony asked looking for reassurances.

"Looks like it. He's one lucky son of a bitch. Had that bullet been another inch to the left, he'd be paraplegic if not dead," the Corpsman remarked in amazement.

Tony absorbed his words and looked down at his boss. He's that and more, he thought. Despite his own exhaustion, he decided to sit with him a while. He didn't want Gibbs to wake up with complete strangers looking down at him. The sickbay wasn't the most comfortable place to wait. He sat on a hard metal chair that he procured from an office while no one was looking. He folded his arms and rested his head on his chest and tried to doze. He must have nodded off because he woke with a start when he heard his name. He looked up and saw no one. Then he glanced at the bed. Gibbs lay there his eyes open, looking straight at him.

"Boss, you're awake," he said a little shocked but delighted to see those blue eyes once more. "McGee, he's awake," he called over to his colleague. Tim got up and walked over to them.

"Welcome back, Boss," McGee said, smiling down at the injured agent.

"Ziva?" Gibbs asked sounding groggy from the medication.

"She's resting. They want to keep an eye on her but say she'll be fine," McGee told him.

"And Fornell?" Gibbs replied.

"Pretty good. They removed the bullet and repaired the damage. He's just over there," Tony said standing back so Gibbs could see. "What about you? How do you feel?"

"Sleepy," Gibbs replied.

"That'll be the anaesthetic. You rest, we can talk later," Tony said, sitting back down beside him. Gibbs nodded and closed his eyes. He was asleep again almost immediately. A short time later a Petty Officer entered the sickbay and told McGee that there was a call for him in the Comm. Room. McGee followed him and took the call. It was Abby.

"Oh McGee thank God! How bad is it? Is he alive? Vance didn't know. All he could tell me was that Gibbs was among the casualties. Casualties doesn't mean dead, does it? I mean, you'd tell me if ….."

"Abby," McGee tried to interrupt.

" ..if he was…. No! No! No! No! Positive thoughts, positive thoughts. He is okay, right? I knew something bad was going to happen when he told me it was classified. It's never good when it's classified. Classified means dangerous. I knew it and now he's hurt and, oh God, he is only hurt, right? I mean. . ," she rambled on.

"Abby!" McGee tried again.

"Okay, tell me. Tell me, McGee. I can take it ...... I think," Abby asked eventually.

"He's going to be fine," McGee told her directly.

"He is? I knew it. Of course he is this is Gibbs we're talking about. He's indestructible. When can I talk to him?" she wondered.

"He's only out of surgery, Abs. In a day or two," McGee replied.

"Okay, I can wait a day. How's Tony and Ziva?" she asked.

"Tony's fine. Ziva was beaten by her captors. She's pretty messed up. It might take a while but she should be okay too," McGee informed her.

"Oh poor Ziva. I wish I could be there with you guys. When will you be home?" she wondered.

"I've no idea. I guess when Gibbs and Fornell are cleared to travel," McGee replied.

"Fornell? What's he doing there?" Abby asked surprised to hear his name brought up.

"Long story. Gibbs was rescuing him when he got shot," McGee explained.

"I should have known. Trust Gibbs to put someone else's safety above his own. I'll be giving him a stern talking to when he gets back," Abby said seriously. McGee couldn't help but smile knowing that Abby meant every word of it. He wouldn't like to be Gibbs on that day..

"See you in a few days, Abs," McGee said before ending the call.

He was exhausted. He returned to the sickbay to tell Tony that he was hitting his bunk. He suggested to Tony that he should do the same. Gibbs would be sleeping for a few hours yet and there was no point in Tony sitting there the whole night. Tony considered what he was saying and eventually agreed. He asked the nurse on duty to send for him if Gibbs woke. She agreed and the two agents retired for a few hours.

It was early morning when DiNozzo woke with a start. He sat up in his bunk and whacked his head off the one above him. Rubbing his head, it took a few seconds to remember where he was. He could hear the thudding and screeching above him every now and again as the Tom Cats took off and landed during exercises. He looked at his watch. He'd slept for seven hours. McGee was still asleep in the bunk above him. Well that won't do, Tony thought as he grabbed at the blanket that covered McGee and pulled it onto the floor.

"Wake up, Probie. You're late," he shouted as loudly as he could. Poor McGee turned quickly over, sat up still half asleep, completely disorientated, swung his legs out of the bunk expecting his feet to find the ground. He found the ground alright, about four foot later than expected and landed unceremoniously in a heap on the floor. DiNozzo almost cracked up as McGee tried to come to terms with his rude awakening.

"Nice landing, Timmy," Tony laughed almost choking.

"Very mature, Tony," McGee said shaking his head and rubbing his hip. "Very mature!"

"C'mon, we've been asleep for ages. I'm gonna check on Gibbs and Ziva," he announced, crawling out of his bunk and pulling on pants.

"I'll follow you down," McGee replied. "I'm going to grab a shower first. You know you could do with one yourself," he shouted at DiNozzo as he disappeared down the corridor wearing the same t-shirt and pants from the previous day.

_**Not a great chapter ending I know so don't crucify me for it. There's more (hopefully better) to come. Maybe a little twist too so hang in there.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**A/N - Thanks for all the reviews guys. As for your question agentscully6, I don't have a medical background unfortunately. I just watch too much tv!!**_

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**SICKBAY**

Sometime before Tony and McGee got up, Gibbs awoke in the sickbay. There was little to break the silence, no faces he recognised. He looked up at the gun metal grey ceiling and walls and it took a few moments before he realised where he was. Then what had happened started flooding back to him, the rescue mission, the gun battle, Ziva.

"_Oh my God Ziva! Where is she_?" he wondered silently, his heart rate quickening. He tried to sit up but was halted by a shooting pain emanating in his back and coursing up into his neck. Then he remembered being shot. And Tobias, he had been wounded as well. He remembered his friend depserately pressing against his wound, trying to staunch the flow of blood. It had looked pretty bad.

"_I hope he made it_," he prayed closing his eyes to try and block out the pain. Once again, albeit more slowly and more calculated than his previous effort, he attempted to sit up. With his face creased in pain he managed to raise himself from the pillows and succeeded in sitting up grasping tightly onto the bed sheets for leverage. He looked around the room. Once it stopped spinning he observed six beds, one of which he occupied, lined neatly around the room. In the bed across from him he was relieved to see Fornell. He was asleep and breathing on his own which Gibbs interpreted to be a good sign. He certainly looked a damn sight better than the last time he had seen him. The remaining beds were empty except for the bed furthest from him in the corner. There lay another sleeping figure. The mass of dark hair caressing the pillow told him that it was Ziva. She appeared restless. Her head was moving and he could hear her mumbling in her sleep.

Gibbs felt that he should be with her, to comfort her. She needed someone. He looked at the drip that was feeding into his arm. It was hanging on a stand beside his bed. Looking to the ground he noted that it had wheels on it so it would move with him and therefore he didn't see any problem with what he was about to do. He looked around for medical staff and felt happier knowing that no one was watching him therefore no one would make a fuss when he got out of bed. He threw back the sheet and swung his bare legs off the bed putting them slowly to the floor. As he moved he could feel a tightening across his shoulders, like his skin was being stretched. It took his breath momentarily.

"_Stitches! Son of a bitch!"_ he thought as he waited for the dart of pain to pass and then taking a deep breath he shakily stood up. His legs felt a little wobbly but using the drip stand as support he shuffled over towards his injured agent. As he reached her he could hear her faint, muffled moans. It sounded like she was having a nightmare.

"Ziva," Gibbs whispered as he approached her bed. There was no reaction. He sank gratefully onto the metal chair that was positioned close to the head of the bed. The short walk from his bed had exhausted him. He breathed heavily for a few moments trying to recover from the mild exertion. He leaned towards her and touched her hair, brushing it from her bruised face. She was still restless and uttered senseless words as she tossed and turned.

"Ziva!" Gibbs said louder than before. He lightly stroked her battered face, cursing the man who had done this to her. As his hand reached her neck she turned over suddenly and tightly grabbed his wrist, her nails digging deep into his flesh. Without even looking at him, she spat out some words he didn't understand. All he was able to make out was the name Samir.

"No, Ziva, it's me," he explained urgently as she continued to apply pressure to his hand. He could feel her nails piercing his flesh. "It's Gibbs." Upon hearing his voice, she released his hand and turned over completely on the bed so that she could see his face.

"Gibbs?" she asked obviously disorientated.

"In the flesh," he replied. "You were dreaming, I think."

"Was I? I don't remember," she told him.

"You were talking in your sleep. In Hebrew, I think and you mentioned someone named Samir," Gibbs explained.

"Samir?" Ziva said looking a little puzzled.

"Yea, you know him?" Gibbs wondered.

"I thought I did," Ziva replied mournfully. "He was one of the team that my father sent to Somalia. He was also the man who did this to me."

"What? Are you saying that one of your own team did this?" Gibbs asked horrified at the notion.

"I think so. It's all a blur. I only see glimpses of what happened. I remember waking up tied to a chair in a concrete room. I have no idea how I got there though," she told Gibbs.

"Don't worry, it'll come back. It did for me," he smiled, hoping to reassure her by giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

"When I saw him I thought he was there to rescue me but then he started asking me questions about NCIS. I didn't know what was going on….why he was doing that? I didn't tell him anything though. I swear Gibbs," she informed him, her emotions beginning to come to the surface. Tears welled in her swollen eyes.

"I know you didn't, kid. Don't worry, it'll be alright," Gibbs told her, uncomfortable with her emotional state. "We'll get him."

"There's something else I need to remember," Ziva announced raising herself on her pillows. "I just can't put my finger on it. It's really bothering me, like it's important."

"Sounds familiar. It will come back, I promise. And if there's anything I can do to help, just ask," Gibbs said kindly.

"Thanks," Ziva replied. She looked more closely at her boss. He sat at her side, dressed in an unflattering hospital gown barely covering his modesty, his knockles white from gripping tightly onto the drip stand. Then she remembered that he had been hurt. She recalled snippets of what had happened on the beach and the doctor working frantically on him. She noticed how he sat hunched slightly careful of moving his neck and shoulder area.

"I never asked you how you are doing," Ziva said shifting trying to get more comfortable.

"I'll be fine. Won't be playing tennis for a while," Gibbs said smiling. Ziva smiled back knowing that tennis wasn't exactly Gibbs style. She realised that she was lucky to be alive and that it was thanks to the man at her side.

"I owe you my life," she admitted somewhat embarrassed. "I wasn't sure if we'd ever see each other again after what had happened," she said, referring to the whole Rivkin affair.

"You're still a member of my team," Gibbs replied, not wanting to get too sentimental. He wished he had the guts to tell her how much he cared for her and how much he had hated leaving her behind but knew it wasn't the time or the place.

"Hadar!" Ziva shouted all of a sudden, breaking Gibbs sentimental musings. "It was Hadar!"

"What?" Gibbs asked completely taken aback by her sudden outburst.

"Amit Hadar. My father's assistant. It was him," Ziva explained.

"What do you mean it was him?" Gibbs asked a little confused.

"On the phone, Samir spoke to him. I remember him talking to him. He must have thought I had passed out," Ziva told him.

"Are you sure? I mean, that's a very serious allegation, Ziva. You're accusing him of being a traitor, of betraying your father," Gibbs said seriously.

"I know. I can't believe he would betray my father so cruelly but I wasn't supposed to leave there alive, Gibbs. He was willing to allow my murder. And probably planned to comfort my father while he grieved. I will kill him with my bare hands," Ziva swore angrily.

"Well, you'd better at least wait until you're back on your feet," Gibbs advised. "Then I'll come with you." Gibbs paused for thought. "Are you feeling worse by any chance?" Gibbs asked in an unusually devilish tone. "I hear the hospitals are pretty top notch in Tel Aviv. I have a feeling that we will both be needing further treatment in hospital," Gibbs winked oddly.

Ziva laughed aloud. She knew exactly what Gibbs was suggesting. Getting back to Israel might just panic Hadar into something foolish. He didn't know that they knew of his involvement and that could play to their advantage. All they had to do was arrange to be airlifted to Israel for further treatment. Time to bend a few rules!

**A/N - Sorry its a short update. Let me know what u think anyway.**


	8. Chapter 8

Tony confidently navigated his way through the bowels of the USS Ronald Reagan on his way to sick bay. He sniffed his underarms as he walked and started to agree with McGee's suggestion that he probably should have showered first.

"_Just need to check on the boss man first,"_ he thought as he approached the door to sick bay. He stuck his head through the door to peep in and saw the empty bed. His heart plummeted to his boots as he immediately thought the worst. He burst though the door and looked frantically around the room for a Corpsman or a nurse. Then through the corner of his eye he saw the stooped figure sitting uncomfortably by Ziva's bed.

"Boss," he exhaled quietly with massive relief. Gibbs didn't hear him.

"Hey Boss," DiNozzo shouted cheering up immediately. Gibbs turned around slightly, wincing as he did so. "What are you doing out of bed?" Tony asked warily.

"Just checking on Ziva," Gibbs replied sounding tired. Tony approached her bed awkwardly.

"Are you feeling any better?" Tony asked feeling uncomfortable..

"A bit," Ziva replied almost kindly. "I'll be up and about in no time."

"I hope so," Tony replied regaining his confidence. "I'm not doing the paperwork for this one all on my own," he smiled glancing at Gibbs. Gibbs never even reacted, no glare, no comment. He looked exhausted, his eyes to the ground.

"Okay, Boss. Gotta get you back into bed," Tony insisted. "You can visit Ziva later," he said with concern.

"No, Tony, I'm fine," Gibbs insisted. "In fact, we could do with your help."

Tony looked at the shattered pair trying to size up what they were up to.

"Really? Help with what exactly," Tony asked curiously.

Gibbs proceeded to relay Ziva's claims about Hadar and their need to get to Israel. Tony listened intently and knew he would have no choice but to help out. When Gibbs sounded like he was giving you a choice, it was one he had already made for you. You don't say no.

"So the first thing I need you to do is get hold of Ducky and convince him that we need to be transferred to hospital in Tel Aviv. Make out like we're sicker than we are or something. He'll get Vance to authorise the airlift. We don't want Hadar to know we suspect him. Do you think you can do that much?" Gibbs asked sounding patronising.

"No problem, Boss. Consider it done," Tony replied. Just then a nurse entered the room and spotted Gibbs out of bed. She marched over, worried for her patient.

"Sir, you shouldn't be out of bed," she said chastising him. "Back to bed, on the double!"

Gibbs knew he was busted so tried to do as he was ordered and get to his feet. As he stood up he swayed visibly causing Tony to react. Taking hold of Gibbs' elbow he steadied him. It was a testament to how tired Gibbs was that he offered no resistance. He allowed his agent to guide him across the room to his bed and help the nurse settle him there. As Gibbs rested, Tony recalled the previous day's events. Tony was still chatting to him when he noticed how Gibbs' breathing had become deeper and slower. His eyes were closed. He was fast asleep. Tony watched him as he lay there and gave silent praise that he was going to be okay. He had never been as scared as he was that night on the beach with Gibbs struggling for air, close to dying in his arms. _"Not something I ever want to repeat,"_ he thought.

He decided that now would be a good time to make that call to Washington. He headed to the Comm room. There he asked the Comms Officer to connect him to NCIS Headquarters. It took a few minutes to get the call through but eventually he had Ducky on the line.

"Ah, Anthony! So good to hear from you. How are our patients?" Ducky asked in his usual upbeat humour.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about, Duck. I'm worried," Tony began.

"Really? I thought they were doing well," Ducky interrupted his concerns heightened.

"Well is a relative term Ducky. They're alive but I'm worried about Gibbs. I think he may have spinal damage or something," Tony lied.

"Good Lord," Ducky replied in disbelief. "What makes you think that?"

"He has numbness in his arms and legs. It comes and goes but as usual he's insisting that he's okay," Tony told him.

"On my, that doesn't sound good. I'm surprised the ships surgeon didn't mention any of this," Ducky commented.

"Em, well he's a very busy man. It'll probably be in his next report," Tony fibbed convincingly. "I think he needs to see a specialist."

"Yes, of course. How soon before he can fly home?" Ducky asked.

"Not sure," Tony replied, "but we're not that far from Israel. They have excellent medical facilities there Ziva tells me."

"Yes, indeed they do. I'll ask the Director to arrange his transfer as soon as they are fit to travel. Any injury to the spine is serious. The sooner he is seen, the better," Ducky explained.

"Thanks, Ducky. Get Ziva on that plane too if you can. She may need a plastic surgeon," Tony replied, feeling guilty for deceiving him but knowing that it had to be done. Leaving the Comm room he then decided that it was time he had that shower so returned to his quarters. McGee was shaving when he entered the cabin.

"You took your time," McGee said as he walked in.

"I told you I was going to check on the boss," DiNozzo replied looking a little puzzled at his colleague. "What's bothering you?"

"Nothing," McGee snapped defensively.

"Ooh, what's _wong_ Timmy?" DiNozzo asked goading his friend in his usual childish manner.

"Never mind, Tony," he said refusing to rise to his taunts.

"You got lost, didn't you?" Tony laughed.

"No," McGee denied too strenuously.

"You so did!! Where did you end up?" Tony smirked.

"Engine room," McGee replied mortified.

Tony laughed out loud, much to Tim's annoyance.

"You were looking for sick bay and you ended up way down in the engine room? I told you you'd need a map," Tony sniggered.

"No! I wasn't looking for sick bay, I was looking for the mess hall," McGee admitted.

"Oh Probie, Probie, Probie. You wouldn't survive a week on this tub without me, you know that?" Tony sneered, slapping the hapless McGee on the shoulder. McGee shook his head in defeat. Much as he hated to admit, Tony was right. Navigating through a carrier was confusing to say the least. Tony began to undo his shoes before stripping off his t-shirt.

"So, how was Gibbs?" McGee asked, trying to deflect from the ribbing that Tony was giving him.

"Would you believe he was up sitting talking to Ziva when I got there?" Tony asked. "Only hours after surgery and he was checking up on her."

"Really? And how was she?" McGee shouted as the sound of the water started up from the shower.

"She seems good. She didn't look like she wanted to kill me today," Tony shouted from the shower. "But they do need to be airlifted to Tel Aviv."

"What?" McGee asked, thinking he had misheard what DiNozzo had said.

"They're being transferred to hospital in Tel Aviv," Tony hollered once more. McGee stuck his head into the shower room.

"I thought they were okay," he said getting worried again.

"They're fine. Gibbs asked me to arrange it. So I had to tell Ducky a little white lie or two so that he'd request their transfer on medical grounds."

"What's going on?" McGee asked not entirely up to speed.

"I'll tell you when I'm finished showering. Now get outta here!" Tony shouted. McGee quickly turned on his heels and left him to finish his shower in peace. Tony came out of the shower room towelling his hair and proceeded to fill McGee in on the plan. McGee listened intently as DiNozzo relayed Ziva's allegations and what they intended to do once they were in Tel Aviv. Needless to say, McGee had countless concerns about an unauthorised operation, the least of which was their total lack of backup on foreign soil. But he realised that if this was what Gibbs had decided he obviously thought that it would work. He only hoped that Gibbs was thinking clearly following his recent trauma. Whatever happened he and Tony would be there to back him up no mater what.

|**TBC**


	9. Chapter 9

Back at NCIS headquarters Ducky stopped Director Vance before he entered MTAC.

"Ah, Director, I need to talk to you about Agent Gibbs and Officer David," he began.

"Can this wait, Doctor? I'm expecting an important communication," Vance explained trying to avoid the conversation.

"Well, actually Leon it can't. I've received some very disturbing news regarding Jethro's condition," Ducky told him.

"I heard the surgery went well," Vance said coldly.

"So did I. However it has come to light that there may be quite a serious complication. Gibbs has developed symptoms that could point to a more significant spinal injury. I need your authorisation to have him transferred to the nearest spinal unit," Ducky explained.

Vance looked at him emotionlessly. For a moment, Ducky thought he was going to refuse his request but was pleasantly surprised when he said "Do whatever you think is necessary." Then he turned and entered MTAC without another word.

Ducky was on his way back to autopsy to make some calls when he bumped into Abby. She was surprisingly chipper considering the circumstances.

"Hey, Ducky. Have you heard from Tony or McGee yet?" she asked with a wide smile.

"Abby, as a matter of fact I got a call from Tony about an hour ago," Ducky told her.

"And you didn't call me. Shame on you," she scolded him theatrically. "So, how are they?"

Ducky felt awkward. He wasn't sure how to tell Abby that Gibbs may be more seriously injured than they were led to believe. Abby noticed his hesitation.

"What is it, Ducky?" she asked her mood changing instantly.

"They need to be airlifted to Tel Aviv," he informed her tentatively.

"Why? What's wrong?" Abby asked knowing this was highly irregular.

"There are some concerns over Gibbs injury. He may need to see a specialist," he explained.

"What kind of a specialist?" Abby asked, not letting him get away with anything.

"A spinal specialist. According to Tony he's putting on a brave face and not admitting that there is a problem. You know Jethro," Ducky explains trying to make light of his concerns.

"How serious is it Ducky?" Abby asks, seeing right through him.

"I don't have any details, my dear. All I know is that Tony sounded worried," Ducky told her.

"I have to go. My passport's at home. I can be there in thirty minutes and it'll only take me a few minutes to pack. So I could make a flight in the next two hours," Abby said rapidly getting herself in to a tizzy and running towards the elevator.

"Where are you going?" Ducky asked trying to keep up with her.

"Israel of course. I've always wanted to go to Israel. Well now I have to go. Gibbs needs me. I'll get the first flight to Tel Aviv that's available," she told him enthusiastically. Ducky was a little taken aback but despite what his head told him, his heart felt exactly as hers did. His good friend was ill. He had to be there for him. He smiled at Abby.

"Make that two seats," he said putting his arm around her shoulder pressing the up button on the elevator. Abby reach around him and hugged him tightly.

------------------------

Meanwhile, back on board the USS Ronald Reagan, Tony continued to play out Gibbs plan. He informed the Senior Medical Officer that Gibbs personal physician had requested that he and Officer David be flown to Tel Aviv for further treatment. Although a little surprised, the SMO had no objection and went about making the necessary arrangements with the Ships Captain.

Tony and McGee headed back down to sickbay later in the day. When they got there Gibbs was sitting up but lying back on the pillows dozing. Ziva was awake and chatting to Fornell who appeared to be doing much better.

"Hey DiNozzo, McGee, are you guys okay?" Fornell asked seeing them for the first time since they returned to the ship after the mission.

"Not a scratch," DiNozzo remarked. "Although Probie here is carrying an injury he picked up falling out of his bunk," Tony teased.

"Which was entirely your fault Tony," McGee retorted in his defence.

"What did I do?" Tony asked defensively.

Before McGee had a chance to answer a voice called from the other side of the room.

"DiNozzo," Gibbs called sleepily.

"Boss, sorry. Did we wake you?" Tony asked, ambling over towards him.

Gibbs whispered in a low voice. It was barely audible. Tony leaned in closer to him to try and hear him. As he did he received a sudden fleeting slap on the back of his head. He stood up straight away, a shocked look in his eyes.

"What was that for?" he asked rubbing his head.

"Just checking I still could," Gibbs smirked over towards McGee.

"Yeah, well everything seems to be working just fine. In fact a little too fine," he said dramatically feeling his head. "Aren't you supposed to be suffering complications? I've been lying my ass off about you so you'd better act the part and not let me down," he said seriously.

"So, you got hold of Ducky then?" Gibbs asked.

"Of course. He had no hesitation in recommending your transfer once he heard how you were trying to cover up your symptoms," Tony smiled in admiration of his own guile.

"Good boy," Gibbs replied patting Tony on the head like a puppy. "So do you know yet when it's going to happen?"

"The Captain is trying to arrange it for the morning. So until then try not to blow our cover," Tony said seriously.

"Don't worry, DiNozzo. Have I ever let you down?" Gibbs replied with a hint of a smile.

**TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

All was calm aboard the USS Ronald Reagan the next morning, that wass if you ignored the roaring engines and the screeching tyres of F-14's as they took off and landed. A ships nurse entered the sickbay to wake the patients and prepare two of them for transfer.

"Good morning Agent Gibbs? How are you feeling this morning?" she asked cheerily.

"Good thanks, Michelle," he answered, glad to be greeted first thing in the morning by such a fabulous sight. Michelle was any man's dream, tall, buxom with blond locks tied up regulation style. _The starched white uniform shirt and skirt do little to allay any sailor's desires, he thought._

"So I have orders to prepare you and Ms. David for transfer this morning. I'll be sorry to see you go," she told him.

"Well I'd be lying if I said I wish I could stay. I'll be glad to see the sky if only for short while," he admitted.

"Well. If you're ever in San Diego look me up," she said with a twinkle in her eye.

Gibbs nodded without a word. _That would be nice, he thought, but will probably never happen._

She continued over to Ziva and woke her gently and told her about their travel arrangements. Ziva glanced over at Gibbs only to catch him checking Michelle out. She threw her eyes up to heaven and smiled. _Men, they just can't help it._

About two hours later the sickbay became a hive of activity. Extra personnel were drafted in to assist with moving the patients. DiNozzo and McGee waited up on the flight deck. Ziva was assisted to the aircraft by a Corpsman. She walked although did rely on the Corpsman when they met with stairs. Although loath to admit it, she still felt very weak. Gibbs bade farewell to Fornell as he was stretchered from sickbay by four seamen. While he felt physically fit enough to walk up the few decks, he knew DiNozzo would be furious. He had to play the injured soldier for now at least, so that's exactly what he did.

Tony and McGee watched as the stretcher was loaded onto the aircraft. Tony felt a pinch of pride as he watched Gibbs lie there looking helpless. He knew that it must be killing him to actually stay on the stretcher and allow these men carry him. He admired his tenacity, knowing Gibbs' pride was taking a battering right now. After a few minutes the patients were secured on board the aircraft and the remaining passengers were boarded. Following a gut wrenching, sling shot take off they were finally Tel Aviv bound.

Gibbs and his team chatted intermittently during the flight. Gibbs explained to McGee and DiNozzo that their purpose while at the hospital was to keep an eye on Ziva and be her protection should Hadar decide to pay a visit. He suspected that in all likelihood that would be the case. He also knew that it wouldn't take long for the medical experts to figure out that he was faking and send him on his way. His job would be to delay any tests that they planned for as long as he possibly could. Other than that they would have to wait and see what unfolded.

It was early evening before they finally touched down in a military air base outside Tel Aviv. Two ambulances waited to take them to the Sourasky Medical Centre. There Gibbs was admitted to the Neurosurgery Department and Ziva to the Maxillo Facial Surgery Unit. Once Gibbs was settled into his private room, Tony called in to check on him.

"Hey Boss," he said looking around the fully equipped room. "Nice digs!"

"What are you doing here? I thought I told you to stay with Ziva," Gibbs replied irately.

"McGee's with her. Relax Boss," Tony said before realising what he had said. You do not tell Gibbs to relax. He watched Gibbs' reaction. He was met with a skull piercing glare. "Sorry Boss," he stammered. "I just wanted to check in on you."

"Well I'm fine DiNozzo. Bored but fine. Now get your ass back to Ziva's room before I kick you there," he growled. Tony took his cue and made a hasty exit. Gibbs lay back and rested. He didn't want DiNozzo to know that he felt exhausted after the journey. DiNozzo had a job to do, he didn't need any distractions. When Tony got back to Ziva's room two floors below Gibbs, McGee was standing outside in the corridor along with two sunglass sporting gentlemen. Tony marched up to him, livid that he had left Ziva alone.

"Probie! I thought I told you to stay with Ziva," Tony snapped.

"Her father is in there," McGee explained abruptly.

"Oh," Tony replied, peering in through the small square window in the door. Eli David stood with his back to the door, talking to his daughter. He stood close to the head of her bed and stroked her battered face.

"I'm so glad to have you brought back to me. I owe the Americans a lot," he said tears welling in his eyes. He was so happy his daughter was alive and yet so distraught to see the injuries that she had suffered. It was obvious that she had endured a horrendous time at the hands of her captors. His heart ached for revenge but his position denied him that satisfaction.

"I will be out of here in a few days Papa. Then I will be recovered enough for work," Ziva told him emotionlessly.

"What? No, you will rest and recuperate. What you have been through I cannot know but you will get whatever help you need," he promised her.

"Papa, I need to get back to normality. I want to go back to NCIS. I am sorry if that disappoints you," she said unable to look her father in the eye. Eli David stood in silence, digesting what his daughter had said. Much as it pained him, he knew she had carved a life out for herself in America. He could not deny her that chance she had of happiness.

"When will you go?" he asked sadly.

"Not yet. There is something I need to finish first," she replied cryptically. Her father looked at her inquisitively but she didn't expand on it so he didn't push.

"I must go and see Agent Gibbs. I understand he was injured in your rescue," he said leaning in to kiss his daughter on the forehead. "Rest and get well," he said as he left the room. The Mossad Director and his protection detail took the elevator to the sixth floor where Gibbs room was located. He found the room and entered quietly. Gibbs was dozing lightly when he came in. The noise of the door opening woke him and he sat up straight immediately, surprised that he had actually dozed off.

"Director David?" Gibbs said, surprised to see him standing there.

"Shalom Special Agent Gibbs. How are you feeling?" Eli asked genuinely.

"Eh, good thanks," Gibbs replied awkwardly. He wasn't friendly with this man and found it awkward to converse with him. "Why are you here?" he asked not even trying to hide his surprise.

"I owe you a great debt, Agent Gibbs. If it wasn't for you and your agents I could have lost my daughter. I just came to say thank you," Director David said humbly.

"There's no need. I would have done the same for any of my agents," Gibbs explained. Eli David smiled at the proud man in front of him.

"You are a good man, Gibbs. I hope you have not paid a great price for you efforts," he said referring to Gibbs injury.

"I'll be fine. The doctors just want to do some tests and then I should be out of here," Gibbs told him, feeling uncomfortable being on the receiving end of his pity.

"Good," David said. "Leon will be glad to have you back, I'm sure."

"I'm sure," Gibbs replied sarcastically. Eli thanked him once again and made his goodbyes much to Gibbs relief. He didn't know how to talk to that man. He wasn't entirely sure whether it was wise to trust him or not. He decided that he would keep and open mind on Director David for the time being.

Sitting there in his hospital bed, Gibbs was feeling helpless. He wanted to go down and talk to Ziva but he reminded himself that he was there under false pretences and had to keep up appearances of serious injury. He desperately wanted to stretch his legs and take a walk but forced himself to stay where he was. He used the phone by his bed to call Ziva's room instead.

"Ziva?"

"Yes, Gibbs," she answered a little surprised.

"Is Tony there?" Gibbs asked.

"He is. Tony!" she called giving him the phone.

"DiNozzo. Get your ass up here for a minute …. and bring coffee," Gibbs ordered gruffly.

"On it Boss," Tony replied before hanging up.

Gibbs sat back in his bed. His shoulders ached, his muscles burned and the fingers in his left hand were tingling a bit. He made a fist with that hand to try and improve circulation to the limb. He wiped his brow and noticed how warm he felt despite the air conditioning in his room. He put it down to the Israeli heat. According to the t.v. it was 98 degrees out there. He closed his eyes and allowed himself to relax. He woke with a start a when Tony barged in through the door armed with two take out cups of coffee. Tony noticed Gibbs shock and apologised.

"Sorry Boss. I didn't realise you were sleeping," he said.

"I wasn't sleeping," Gibbs denied. "I was just resting."

"Okay," Tony replied not believing him in the slightest. "I got you coffee as ordered, just the way you like it."

"I could kiss you, Tony," Gibbs joked, gratefully accepting the liquid gold.

"I'd rather you didn't Boss," Tony laughed pulling up a chair. "So, I hear you had a visitor."

"News travels fast," Gibbs replied.

"So, did he offer you the freedom of Tel Aviv for saving his daughter?" Tony asked kidding.

"Not quite," Gibbs replied. A shiver ran down Gibbs spine. Tony noticed.

"Are you cold, Boss?" he asked. "I can turn down the air conditioning."

"Yeah, thanks," Gibbs replied, taking the coffee cup in both his hands. He was feeling a chill and the discomfort in his back was getting worse. He shifted uncomfortably in the bed.

"Are you okay Boss?" Tony enquired noticing Gibbs unease.

"Yeah. Pain meds probably just wearing off," Gibbs replied, believing that was the case.

He and DiNozzo finished their coffees. Gibbs told Tony to return to Ziva's room and make sure to call him if Hadar turned up. Shortly after that a nurse came in to check on him and to take his Obs.

"You're temperature is high, Agent Gibbs. Your wound may be infected. If you lean forward, I'll check the wound," she said gently removing the dressing. The wound looked raw and angry and the skin around it felt hot to touch. Her suspicions of an infection were confirmed.

"Well?" Gibbs asked her.

"Looks like an infection alright. I'll get you some stronger antibiotics," she said as she redressed the wound.

"That's just great," Gibbs said feeling a little sorry for himself. The nurse left to get the antibiotics and once more Gibbs was in the room alone with his thoughts.

**TBC**


	11. Chapter 11

While he waited in his room for the nurse to return with his medication, Gibbs thought he heard familiar voices in the hall outside. Just then the door to his room burst open and in bounded an energized, seriously concerned Goth whom he instantly recognised.

"Gibbs!" she exclaimed making a beeline towards him. "You're here!"

"Abs?" Gibbs said not believing his eyes.

"Oh my poor Gibbs," she said throwing her arms around his neck causing him to grunt in pain. "Oh my God, I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, eh, not really," Gibbs replied still stunned at the sight of her. "Abs, what are you doing here?"

"The thought of you over here hurt, alone and helpless made me so worried that I couldn't function so there was no point being in the lab doing nothing. I was going crazy so I hopped on a plane and here I am," she explained excitedly.

"I can't believe you came all this way alone," he said appreciatively.

"Oh, I'm not alone," she told him. Just as she spoke the door opened once again, more slowly this time and in walked Ducky.

"Duck?" Gibbs said flabbergasted.

"Jethro, you look …… flushed," Ducky commented straight away.

"Thanks, so do you," Gibbs replied to his old friend.

"Well I've just got off an 11 hour flight, sat in a taxi in 98 degree heat and rushed here to see you. What's your excuse?" Ducky said walking over to him and feeling his forehead.

"Infection or so I'm told," Gibbs replied sounding unimpressed.

"Yes, well I'm here now so we'll soon have you back to your old self," Ducky said positively. "How's the numbness?"

"The what?" Gibbs asked puzzled by the question.

"Numbness. Tony said you were experiencing loss of feeling," Ducky explained.

"Oh, that. Well I think Tony …… misunderstood," Gibbs stammered knowing he couldn't lie to his old friend.

"So you don't have numbness and loss of feeling?" Ducky asked feeling somewhat confused.

"Not really. I just needed people to think I had so I had an excuse to get to Israel," Gibbs admitted sheepishly.

"Really Jethro! How could you? All sorts of scenarios were going through my mind when Tony described your symptoms. I feared the worst," Ducky reprimanded with a disappointed tone.

"Yeah Gibbs! I was so worried about you. And you were lying all the time?" Abby said disillusioned. Gibbs felt like crap, physically and emotionally. He hadn't intentionally set out to hurt the people he cared about. His mind was focused elsewhere so much so that he had never even considered the worry he would be inflicting on Abby and Ducky.

"Well, I did actually get shot," Gibbs pointed out in a vain attempt at his defence.

"Good thing too," Abby snapped "because if you hadn't I might have to shoot you myself for lying to us." Gibbs felt ashamed. Abby was mad with him and that didn't happen very often.

"So, Jethro, are you going to tell us what this ruse was all about then?" Ducky asked inquisitively.

"It's a long story," Gibbs told him. "Why don't you two get settled into your hotel and I'll tell you everything when you come back? Anyway, I'm feeling a bit rough and could do with some rest myself," Gibbs told them. He was starting to feel nauseous.

"You do look tired, Jethro. I might have a word with your doctor on my way out," Ducky informed him. "We'll see you in a couple of hours."

Abby noticed how hot he felt as she leaned in and kissed him goodbye. She said nothing until she got outside the room and then mentioned it to Ducky.

"He has a fever Ducky," Abby said trying not to sound over concerned.

"I noticed that too Abigail. I'll find his doctor and see what they're treating him with," Ducky said as he continued down the corridor. "Why don't you check in on Ziva and the boys?" he suggested. Abby thought that was a great idea.

Abby called Tony on her cell phone and enquired what room Ziva was in. He told her and then asked why she needed to know that. She lied and said that she wanted to get flowers delivered and hung up the phone without any further discussion. She wanted to surprise them. And she did!

McGee, Tony and Ziva were watching t.v. and eating junk food when she leapt into the room shouting "Surprise!!!" Tony jumped to his feet and grabbed his weapon and swung it towards her, McGee fumbled for his as he dived to the floor and Ziva tensed preparing to pounce. Abby was immediately rooted to the floor and put her hands in the air.

"Don't shoot, it's only me!" she shouted waving her arms above her head.

"Abs, what the hell are you doing?" Tony demanded as he lowered his weapon. "You don't jump into an Israeli hospital room, especially not a Mossad Agents hospital room," Tony pointed out. Abby remained motionless, her hands still in the air.

"You can put your hands down now Abs," McGee told her as he stood up and dusted himself down. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard Gibbs was badly hurt so I had to come," she told him. "Ducky's here too."

"Oh oh! Busted!" Tony said sitting back down and grabbing a napkin to wipe the ketchup from his sling. "Would you like a french fry?" he asked her, quickly changing the subject.

"No thanks," Abby replied. It was only then that she got to see Ziva properly for the first time. She stood, looking horrified at the disfiguring injuries her friend had sustained. For once she was speechless. She just walked over to her and put her arms around her as tightly as she could. As usual Abby let her actions do the talking for her. Tony and McGee looked on, Tony bursting to make a comment about girl on girl action but thought better of it. Just as well he restrained himself as he noticed silent tears trickle down Ziva's cheeks as she clung on to her friend. It was the first time she had let the barrier down since her rescue. She always felt like she had to prove that she was just as tough as the guys but inside she was still a woman with female emotions and had suffered more than they would ever know. He signalled to McGee and both men left the room to give the girls some space. He hoped that Ziva would open up to Abby and talk about what had happened to her. She had told them bits and pieces about what had happened but he suspected that she had been holding back. He wasn't sure if it was because she still didn't trust him or that she was embarrassed that she needed rescue. There were still many crevices to be smoothed over before their relationship would ever return to what it once was that was for sure. He hoped that time would help.

-------------------------

The next morning Ducky and Abby returned to the hospital to visit Gibbs and Ziva. Their first port of call was Gibbs. They were totally unprepared for the shock they got when they entered his room. He was lying there unconscious looking jaundiced and wearing an oxygen mask on his face. A nurse was with him.

"What on earth happened?" Ducky asked walking directly to his friend.

"The infection is taking hold despite the antibiotics. I'm waiting for a doctor to assess him and determine the next course of action," the nurse explained. Ducky grabbed the chart from the bottom of the bed and scanned the details. Abby stood back, still trying to recover from the shock.

"Roll him onto his side," Ducky ordered.

"Excuse me?" the nurse said surprised by his demands.

"I'm this man's doctor in the U.S. and I would like to examine the gunshot wound myself," Ducky explained. Satisfied, the nurse rolled Gibbs onto his side where Ducky removed the dressing. The wound looked raw and the skin around it felt hot. Pus oozed from the stitches. It looked a mess.

"This man needs to go back to the O.R. and the wound needs to be cleaned out again," Ducky told her. "It's possible that the ships surgeon missed a piece of bullet or other debris. Did anyone check?" he asked.

"Well, no Doctor. The initial surgery was not carried out here. He was admitted for wound management and rehabilitation only. He seemed perfectly fine until last evening," she told him.

"Well, he's not fine now. In fact if he's not treated soon, he could develop sepsis. By the look of him his liver may already be compromised. When your doctor gets here, I'll need to speak to him," Ducky told her firmly but not rudely. She agreed and went searching for the doctor. Ducky used the time they had alone in the room with Jethro to try and ease Abby's worries.

"I know it must be frightening, Abby, but he will be alright. They just need to find the source of the infection and he'll be back to his old self," he told her calmly as he looked over at his friend.

"I hope so Ducky. He looks so sick though," she said sounding distressed. Ducky squeezed her hand in an effort to comfort her. She kissed him on the cheek in appreciation of his efforts and then went to sit with Gibbs. She placed her hand on his and spoke softly to him, encouraging him to be strong and to get well.

Soon after his doctor entered the room and checked his chart. Ducky introduced himself and in no uncertain terms explained to the doctor his theory on Gibbs' deterioration. The doctor looked at the Obs and meds and agreed with Ducky's diagnosis. He agreed to have Gibbs taken back to surgery and have his wound surgically cleaned and to examine him for any remaining foreign debris which could be causing the infection. Ducky felt relief knowing that Gibbs was going to get the treatment he needed and that his friend should recover.

**_Keep hanging in there. Posting as I'm writing. As usual love to hear your thoughts!_**


	12. Chapter 12

Later that morning Ziva was scheduled to have surgery on her facial injuries to help minimise the scarring. As she was being prepared she received a not so unexpected visitor. Amit Hadar, her father's aide and a former colleague, knocked before entering her room. Upon hearing a male voice in the room McGee woke with a start from dozing in an armchair in the corner. . He sat up suddenly and tentatively felt for his weapon unsure whether he would be needing it or not. Hadar approached Ziva in an apparently non threatening manner. He appeared relaxed and cheerful. Ziva feigned a smile when she saw him. He obviously was completely unawares of her suspicions, her beliefs.

"Ziva, I'm so glad you are well," he said convincingly as he leaned towards her to kiss her cheek. "I spoke to your father. He says you are doing well."

"I am," Ziva replied, her stomach knotting as she did so. How could this man she had known for so long be involved in terrorism? How could he willingly authorise her torture and murder and then stand in front of her as if nothing had ever happened?

Hadar looked over at a wary McGee in the corner.

"Ah, you must be another of the Americans," Hadar said, not recognising him as McGee hadn't been with Gibbs on the previous visit to Israel.

"Special Agent Tim McGee," he replied introducing himself.

"It is good to see that they are looking after you, Ziva," Hadar commented rudely turning his back on McGee once more. Ziva stared at him, waiting for him to do or say something that would give her an opening to accuse him. But Hadar was shrewd. He was not going to let his guard down in front of McGee. He continued his little considerate and caring charade for several minutes until a nurse entered the room to take Ziva to the O.R. As Ziva sat into the wheelchair and Hadar made his excuses and said goodbye, Ziva looked up into his eyes and whispered two words.

"I know," she glared, her expression unfaltering. Hadar's face changed every so slightly. His breathing stopped momentarily. He paled when he saw the lookof hatred in her eyes. He knew Ziva and had seen that look before. A determined Ziva was a dangerous Ziva. He watched as she was wheeled out of the room. He knew he would have to deal with her, sooner rather than later. He wondered who else knew of his involvement. Had she told her father? This could ruin everything. As he left the room he tried to remain calm as he started to realise that his that his position had been compromised. He met DiNozzo on the corridor. DiNozzo recognised him and glanced towards Ziva's room trying to gauge if everything was alright. He was preparing to tackle Hadar to the ground when McGee walked out the door of Ziva's room and nodded that all was well. DiNozzo looked Hadar up and down as they passed each other without a word and Tony stopped and watched him as he called the elevator and eventually left the floor.

"What was he doing here?" Tony asked as he approached McGee.

"He came to visit Ziva," McGee informed him.

"And?" Tony asked.

"And what?" McGee asked.

"Did he threaten or intimidate her?" Tony wondered.

"No. In fact he seemed to be very friendly," McGee told him.

"Really? I'm going up to talk to Gibbs. He'll want to know that Hadar has been here," Tony said. "Where's Ziva?"

"They just took her to surgery. She'll be a couple of hours. I'll wait here for her," McGee replied. Tony hurried in the direction of the elevator. He stepped in and pressed six for the sixth floor. As he emerged from elevator he was met by a concerned looking Ducky.

"Ah, Anthony, I was just on my way down to see Ziva before her surgery," Ducky told him.

"You're too late, Ducky. She's already gone down, should be back in a couple of hours or so. How's the Boss doing?" Tony asked.

"He's not very well at all Tony. He has a serious infection and they're trying to bump him up the operating schedule," Ducky explained.

"I need to talk to him," Tony said, not quite digesting what Ducky had told him.

"He's in no shape to talk, Tony. He's in and out of consciousness," Ducky told him.

"What? I had no idea he'd become so ill," Tony admitted feeling bad for not realising Gibbs was actually sick. With all the feigning of injury Tony had forgot that Gibbs was actually injured and unwell. They reached Gibbs room and entered quietly. Abby sat close to the head of the bed, clinging to Gibbs forearm. Tony was shocked to see Gibbs lying struggling for breath in the same bed where he was downing coffee and take out food the day before. He knew there was no point worrying Ducky or Abby about Hadar. He would just have to be the responsible one for a change and take charge of the entire situation.

"I have to go," Tony said out of the blue. Ducky and Abby looked at him with astonishment. "Let me know how he is later," he asked before turning to leave the room. As he reached the elevator, Abby caught up with him.

"Where are you going Tony?" she asked, suspecting he was up to something.

"To bring this to a end," Tony replied cryptically.

"Be careful Tony," Abby said hugging him before he got onto the elevator.

-----------------------------------

"Director David? I have a Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo from NCIS asking to see you. He says it's urgent," the secretary said through the intercom at Mossad Headquarters. Eli David sat alone in his office. He was surprised by his unexpected visitor and instructed his secretary to show him in.

"Agent DiNozzo, what a surprise?" he said showing him to a seat.

"Thank you for seeing me, Director," Tony said modestly.

"I have to admit that you are the last person I thought would be dropping in to say hi," he laughed.

"Well, I so enjoyed our last little chat, I thought we'd pick up where we left off," Tony replied sarcastically. David smiled. He was starting to like the obnoxious American.

"Tea," Eli offered.

"No thanks?" Tony replied. "But some answers would be nice."

The Mossad Director looked perplexed. He wasn't sure what the young agent was meant by his remarks. Rather than admit it, he waited for DiNozzo to elaborate.

"How well do you know Amit Hadar?" Tony asked.

"Amit? He is my closest aide. I think of him as a son," David told him, suspicious of his motives for such questioning.

"And is he one of those officers who do everything you tell him?"

"Of course," David replied.

"Really? So did you tell him to kill your daughter?" Tony asked straight out.

"What? That is preposterous," Eli retorted indignantly. "Of course not. Why would I do such a thing?"

"I don't know. Old habit? You did order your daughter to kill your son a few years back if I recall," Tony reminded him.

"That was different. You could never understand," Eli snapped, his patience wearing thin.

"Well if you didn't order him to kill your daughter, how come Ziva heard her captors talking to him while she was being tortured? Can you explain that?" Tony asked.

"What? She heard Hadar? I don't understand," Director David stuttered a little shaken by the accusations. How could this be? He trusted Hadar. Could he really have betrayed him?

"If you really think he could not be involved with the terrorists, call him and ask him to meet you. You can ask him yourself," Tony suggested.

Eli considered Tony's suggestion. Of course he would call Hadar. He would ask him outright and see his reaction. He stood up from the coffee table and walked to his desk. He pressed the intercom button and asked his secretary to contact Officer Hadar and get him to his office as soon as possible. Tony sat with a satisfied grin on his face as he watched Eli David mull over the possibility that he had a traitor in his midst. There was no love lost between DiNozzo and David especially after the way Eli treated Tony on their first visit to Israel a couple of weeks previously. Eli waited for his phone to ring. Neither man spoke while they waited. Eventually the secretary called back and informed him that she could not reach Officer Hadar at the moment. She had left a message on his cell and asked him to contact the Director. Eli looked over at DiNozzo.

"How certain are you that what Ziva heard is correct?" the Director asked Tony.

"She has no doubt it was him. If she is certain then I am certain," DiNozzo informed him.

"Does he suspect anything?" David asked.

"I don't think so. He did pay Ziva a visit but as far as I know he is unaware of her suspicions," Tony told him.

"Okay. Then I will try and talk to him. I want him to look me in the eye and tell me that it is all a mistake," Eli told him. DiNozzo nodded. He was actually beginning to feel sorry for the man. He couldn't imagine how he would react if he was told that McGee or Gibbs had betrayed everything he believed in, everything he thought they believed in. But Tony knew that however loyal Eli David was to his friend, his loyalty was greater towards the State of Israel and the prevention of terrorism.

He thanked the Mossad Director for listening to him. He explained that he had to return to the hospital and check up on his own boss and Ziva. He asked that he let him know if and when Hadar made contact.

As DiNozzo left his office, Eli David sat at his desk and put his hands in his head. He had a gut churning feeling that the American agent was telling the truth. He knew that his daughter would not accuse an innocent man unless she was sure. But it pained him to think that she could not entrust him, her father, with her suspicions. The first person she went to was Agent Gibbs. She obviously held him in great standing. He took his cell phone out of the drawer of his desk and scrolled down to Hadar's number. He tried to call Hadar. The phone rang for a few seconds and then went to voice mail. He found that strange because Hadar usually answered his calls immediately. Something was indeed amiss. He contacted the technical bureau of the Mossad and ordered them to trace Hadar's cell and give him a location. Then he waited.

_**More to come. Hope you're liking where it's going. Hang in there. Probably only a few**__** more chapters in it.**_


	13. Chapter 13

Gibbs sense of sound was the first to awaken as he started to come around after his surgery. He could hear voices talking near him. The voices were familiar to him but his mind was clouded and he couldn't recollect why those voices made him feel calm and at ease. He made a conscious effort to open his eyes but his eyelids seemed to have weights attached. After several unsuccessful efforts he finally glimpsed the first arrows of light. They felt like they were piercing his retinas. He closed his eyes again immediately and allowed his retinas to recover before attempting once again. This time he could hear someone talking to him, saying his name. He opened his eyes more cautiously this time and immediately recognised the smiling face that stood above him. It was Abby.

"Gibbs, you're awake. You're gonna be fine," she said kissing him affectionately on the cheek. Gibbs tried to reply but his voice failed him. His throat felt raw and dry.

"Don't try and speak, Jethro," Ducky said as he came into view. "I'll get you some ice chips. Your throat will feel better in a few hours." Gibbs nodded to his friend but tried to speak anyway.

"Where's DiNozzo?" he croaked, the memories of the last few days filtering through the clouds.

"With Ziva I think," Ducky replied quickly before glancing at Abby. Ducky knew that Gibbs didn't need to know that Tony was out God knows where doing God knows what. Gibbs missed their exchange of glances and was happy to accept Ducky's reply. He sucked on the ice chips that Ducky gave him and relaxed back against the pillows once more.

----------------------------

Meanwhile Eli David waited for news of Hadars whereabouts. His cell phone was being traced and soon they would have a fix on him. His desk phone rang. It was a member of the technical bureau. He informed the Director that Hadar's phone was traced to his home in the city centre. David ordered that Hadar be picked up and brought back to headquarter for interview.

Within a half hour Mossad agents were at Hadar's apartment. There was no reply when they tried to gain access so they forcibly entered the premises. The apartment was empty. Hadar's cell phone was sitting on the coffee table along with his Mossad ID papers. There was also a short note. It read "Sorry but there is no other way". The lead agent phoned Director David and told him what they had found. Eli thanked the agent and sat back in his chair in disbelief. So it was true. His friend for so many years, the man who he trusted with his life had betrayed him. Not only that but he had betrayed his country. He was stunned. As he battled through his shock his professionalism took over. He began to search for meaning in Hadar's words. He feared his old friend had been driven to desperation and desperation breeds danger. Director David knew that. He also knew Hadar. He knew that he was the sort of man who would accomplish his mission or die trying. Eli desperately wished that he knew what Hadar's ultimate mission was. All he knew was that it started with his daughter so that was where he would start.

He called one of his senior officers. He ordered a protection detail to be placed on his daughter's hospital room. He made it clear that Hadar was a dangerous man and that their orders were to shoot on sight. It pained his heart to give such an order but after so many years working in the echelons of the Mossad, he knew difficult decisions had to be made all the time. This was one of the hardest things he ever had to do.

----------------------------

McGee and Tony were chatting to Ziva who was recovering nicely from her surgery. Her cheek was swathed in a bandage but she was in a talkative mood and feeling positive. They were talking and wondering how Gibbs was when two burly men entered the room. They both ignored the Americans and spoke to Ziva in Hebrew. She listened intently as they explained the situation to her. Tony strained to hear the faintest word that he could understand but to no avail. It killed him not knowing what they were talking about. As soon as they left, Tony scrambled to the side of Ziva's bed.

"Well? What did they want?" he asked unable to hide his sheer fascination.

"They've been ordered by my father to guard my room. Hadar has gone off radar. My father fears he will come after me," Ziva explained unemotionally.

"Crap!" Tony exclaimed. "How did he know you were on to him?" Tony asked rhetorically. Then he saw the guilty look in Ziva's eyes. He shook his head.

"You didn't?!"

Ziva shrugged.

"I could not let him believe that he had gotten away with what he did to me" she said without regret.

"You could have at least warned us. Does that mean he's going to go all Rambo on us?" DiNozzo asked theatrically.

"I don't think so. I would expect he would run like the coward he really is," Ziva replied bluntly.

"Well, McGoo, looks like it's gonna be a long night. You'd better go and check on Gibbs and fill him in on what's going on. You stay with him tonight, just in case Hadar decides to pay a visit," Tony said responsibly.

"Sure," McGee replied. "I'll tell him you say hi. Check in later."

"Sure, Mom," DiNozzo replied, just to wind McGee up. McGee chose to rise above his infantile colleague and said goodbye.

He took the elevator up to Gibbs room. He found Gibbs sitting up in the bed, looking worn and tired but chatting to Ducky and Abby. He seemed in pretty good form as far as he could tell.

"McGee, you okay?" Gibbs asked thinking the young agent looked tired.

"Me? I'm fine thanks," McGee replied a little surprised by the question. "You look better," he said awkwardly.

"I'm good. Where's DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked.

"He's with Ziva. That's kinda what I need to talk to you about," McGee told him.

"What?" Gibbs asked looking suspiciously at the younger agent.

"Eli David has placed a guard on Ziva's door. Hadar has gone AWOL and Director David thinks he'll come after Ziva," McGee explained.

"Oh God!" Abby exclaimed placing her hand to her mouth. She couldn't cope worrying anymore about her team.

"Don't worry dear," Ducky said in a comforting tone. "Nothing will happen to Ziva in here."

"He's right Abs. We won't let anything happen to her. Right McGee?" Gibbs insisted.

"Eh, right Boss!" McGee replied sounding unconvinced.

"Good. Now go and arrange for Ziva and I to be placed in adjacent rooms on a different floor. Hadar knows her room, so why make it easy for him to find her," Gibbs pointed out.

"I'm on it Boss," McGee replied turning to leave.

"And McGee," Gibbs said calling him back. "The less people that know the better."

McGee nodded understanding his instructions. He suspected it was going to be a long stressful evening. Hadar was a highly trained Mossad agent. McGee knew that if he wanted to get past the security and into the hospital then it wouldn't be too difficult for him. He contacted the hospital administrator and explained their security concerns. Once he mentioned Director David's name any difficulty with Gibbs and Ziva moving rooms dissolved in an instant. He was hugely appreciative of her assistance and thanked her as he left.

He returned to Gibbs room. When he got there, Gibbs was talking on the phone to Tony. He was explaining to him about requesting to move rooms. When he saw McGee he ceased talking to DiNozzo and said,

"Well?"

"Yeah, it's not a problem. There'll be someone here within the hour to move you to the 8th floor," McGee told him.

"Did you get that, DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked to his agent on the other end of the line.

"Yes Boss. Got it. I'll help Ziva pack up her stuff and we'll be ready to move," Tony replied.

"Good. See you later," Gibbs said before hanging up.

Abby looked at Gibbs, her eyes betraying her inner turmoil. Gibbs hated seeing her in such a state. She was actually quiet for once.

"Abs?" he called putting his hand out to encourage her over to him.

"Yes Gibbs?" she said meekly as she approached him. She placed her hand in his.

"It's going to be okay," he insisted pulling her closer to him. She put her head on his chest and he hugged her. "Ducky, why don' you and Abby go back to your hotel and get some rest?" he suggested.

Ducky knew he was just trying to get them out of harms way. Much as he wanted to stay with his friend, he knew Gibbs would not be comfortable knowing that Abby was at risk. He agreed to do as his friend asked.

"Good idea, Jethro. I certainly could do with a shower and a hot meal couldn't you, Abby?" Ducky asked trying to be up beat about the prospect.

"But what if……?" Abby began to protest.

"You should go, Abs," McGee interrupted adamant that she go as advised.

"Okay then," Abby relented. "You guys take care, okay?" she said going around the room and hugging them both tightly. She really didn't want to go but she also didn't want to argue with Gibbs.

"You look after him, McGee," she ordered as she grabbed her bag.

"I will," McGee replied a little embarrassed knowing Gibbs was giving him one of those steely glares. As Ducky and Abby left the room McGee sat on a chair at the foot of Gibbs bed, a little red faced but sure of one thing. He would not allow any harm come to his boss, no matter what.

**Getting to the point - I swear. Apologies for the delay in posting. Giving u 2 chapters at once to try and make up for the delay.**

**Hope u like!**


	14. Chapter 14

Pretty soon after that Gibbs was moved to his new room on the 8th floor as arranged. Ziva was settled into her neighbouring room. She and Tony called in to say hi to Gibbs a little later that evening. Gibbs was glad to see her. She looked better than when he had last laid eyes on her. The swelling was starting to subside at least. Her demeanour seemed no different than usual. She was maintaining her professionalism in the face of the threat that was facing her. She was adamant that Hadar was long gone and that all her father's and Gibbs' concerns were unfounded. It was some time later when she and DiNozzo finally returned to her room. Gibbs lay back and was quickly asleep. McGee tried to get comfortable on the armchair in the corner of the room. He tugged aimlessly at a blanket which the nurse had left for him. He knew he wouldn't sleep though. He tried to rest and watched as Gibbs slept. He thought back to the horror he felt a few days ago when he realised that Gibbs was injured on the beach. It had surprised him how deeply he cared for his gruff boss. Gibbs had been hard on him at times but he was finally realising why. Such treatment had brought him to the stage where he had the confidence in himself to deal with any situation, just like tonight. With the armchair turned facing the door, he sat and waited.

Tony was similarly set up in the other room. Ziva was comfortably tucked in for the night. She had been given pain killers to help her sleep which seemed to work. Tony rested his feet on the side of her bed and lay back on his armchair. He was dozing when a loud noise jolted him back to his senses. He sat up suddenly as the door to the room opened and in hurried the two Mossad guards that had been posted outside the door.

"What is it?" Tony asked getting to his feet.

"The fire alarm," one of them replied. "Officer David needs to come with us."

By this time, Ziva was stirring. She woke to find three men standing over her. She was a little disorientated at first and could not figure out what was going on. Tony filled her in.

A similar scene was playing out in Gibbs' room. McGee was awake and recognised the fire alarm immediately. He ran to the door and looked out. Ziva's guards were not outside her room. People were starting to file into the corridor. He returned to the room and straight over to Gibbs.

"Boss, are you awake?" he asked looking down on Gibbs who still seemed quite out of it courtesy of the pain meds and antibiotics.

"Boss?" he said louder than before. This time Gibbs stirred. His eyes were heavy and he felt like he had only closed them.

"What is it, McGee?" he asked drowsily.

"Fire alarm, Boss. I don't think it's a drill," McGee informed him.

"Great!" Gibbs groaned as he tried to sit up. McGee grabbed a wheelchair that was stored near the bathroom. "I won't be needing that," Gibbs told him straight out as he swung his legs out of the bed. "Get me some pants," he barked at poor McGee.

McGee looked around the room and found a pair of green scrub pants and a t-shirt that the nurse presumably had left for him to use. When McGee turned back with the pants he saw Gibbs try and stand for the first time. He looked shaky to say the least. Gibbs wasn't going to admit it but as he stood the room started spinning. He felt as weak as a kitten. The wound from his recent surgery felt tight and painful and he grimaced as he tried to straighten up. He sat back onto the bed feeling more than a little defeated.

"Let me help you Boss," McGee offered as he held out the pants to Gibbs. Much to Gibbs embarrassment, the young agent got to his knees and helped him put on his trousers. This was definitely a moment both men would hope to soon forget. Gibbs thanked him trying to play down his embarrassment. His pride had already taken a beating so while it was at such a low he agreed to sit in the wheelchair. McGee considerately made no comment. His mind was focused on the job at hand, getting Gibbs to safety. The pair left Gibbs room and almost collided with Ziva, Tony and the guards on the corridor.

"Woah, McGeek, where's the fire?" Tony quipped smiling at the pun.

"I don't know," McGee replied remaining serious. "I'll find someone and ask," he said before running to the nurse's station. Patients and staff were milling around the area looking for instructions on where to go and what to do. From their actions and the nurses faces McGee could tell that this was not a drill. He spotted one of the security men stopping people from using the elevator.

"Hey," McGee hollered. "What's going on?"

"All I know is that shots were heard on the fourth floor. Some guy claiming to have a bomb. We've been told to evacuate the building," he told him.

"Thanks," McGee replied turning and running to tell the others. The fourth floor was where Ziva's old room was. It had to be Hadar.

"Armed man on the fourth floor," McGee told the group. "We have to use the stairs to get out. The elevators are closed off."

"C'mon then," Tony said following the signs for the stairwell. McGee took the handles of the wheelchair and guided Gibbs towards the stairwell door. The two Mossad officers started down the stairs followed closely by Tony and Ziva. McGee helped Gibbs to his feet.

"I can walk McGee," Gibbs growled hating that he had to depend anyone for help.

"I know you can, Boss, but if you fall down these stairs, Tony will never let me hear the end of it," McGee joked, trying to make light of the situation. Gibbs didn't argue, knowing full well that his falling down the stairs was more a probability than not. He threw his arm around McGee's shoulder and the two agents carefully began their descent. Their journey was slow and agonising. Gibbs was starting to feel the full effects of the surgery and felt more grateful for McGee's support than ever.

As they reached the landing for the fourth floor they noticed Tony and Ziva were stopped and appeared to be arguing.

"There's no way you're going in there," Tony shouted, blocking the door.

"What are you two yelling about?" Gibbs asked unimpressed by the two agents carry on.

"She wants to go and talk to Hadar, try and make him see sense," Tony explained unable to understand her reasoning.

"Do we even know what's going on in there?" Gibbs asked sitting on the step to catch his breath.

"Only what we've heard," Tony replied. Gibbs was about to suggest something when they heard a volley of shots and screaming from inside the fourth floor.

"Ah hell," Gibbs muttered. "It sounds like he has hostages."

The NCIS agents looked at each other. They knew Gibbs would not walk away and leave innocent people to their fate at the hands of a terrorist.

"Have you guys weapons?" he asked the two Mossad agents.

They each nodded and produced Sig Sauers from their shoulder holsters and displayed them to Gibbs.

"Any others?" Gibbs asked impatiently. The officers looked over at Ziva who encouraged them to show him what else they carried. They each removed Glock G21's from the small of their backs.

"Good," Gibbs said please that they were amply armed. "DiNozzo, McGee, have you got yours?" He wondered if they had been allowed to keep theirs. Much to his surprise they both still had their weapons.

"Okay, we need to see what's going on in there," Gibbs explained. "DiNozzo, do you think you can get in without being seen and give us a Sit Rep?"

"No problem, Boss. Be back in a jiffy," Tony grinned as he quietly opened the stairwell door a crack. He scanned the corridor. It appeared to be empty. Cautiously he opened the door just wide enough for him to slip through. Silently he crept along the abandoned hallway. As he neared the reception area he could hear voices. He was sure he could also hear sobbing. He noticed that the glass in some of the doors was shattered and he could see bullet holes in the walls. He stopped short of the seating area and the reception desk. His eyes were drawn to a smeared blood trail on the floor. It looked like someone had been shot and dragged into one of the bedrooms. Tony knew he had to risk it and try to see what was going on. He got as low as he could and approached the corner with caution. Taking a deep breath he craned his neck around the corner. He drank in the scene before him. It was Amit Hadar, no question about that. He appeared to be acting alone. He was armed with a short barrel automatic weapon. It looked like an MP7 from what DiNozzo could see. Tony couldn't see the hostages though. Hadar had them on the ground behind the reception desk. He stood menacingly between them and the elevators. He appeared highly agitated. Obviously he hadn't expected not to find Ziva. His plan had been scuppered. He was frustrated and trying to figure a way out of the situation he was in. Tony could see his desperation. As he turned towards Tony's direction, Tony could have sworn he had glimpsed an explosives vest before he had to duck behind the corner to avoid discovery. Tony was sure that Hadar hadn't seen him. He had seen enough to report back to Gibbs.

As quietly as he could he crept back along the corridor, frequently watching the direction he had just come from. Ziva opened the door of the stairwell for him as he reached them.

"Well DiNozzo?" Gibbs asked keenly.

"It's Hadar alright. He has hostages but I couldn't see how many. He's armed with an MP7 and an explosives vest. I don't think he plans on leaving here alive. Its just a matter of how many he brings with him," Tony informed them.

"I will talk to him," Ziva said bravely.

"Not a chance," Gibbs replied. "I can't risk him taking you as another hostage. We need a plan. McGee, DiNozzo, you two spent time on this floor. Is there another way to get to the reception area?" Gibbs asked.

"Besides through the elevator, the only other way is through the corridor. You can go from here in a square right around the floor to the opposite end of the reception area. There's a staff area over there and some labs as far as I can remember," McGee told him.

"Okay, we'll split up. You, what's your name?" Gibbs asked one of the Mossad Officers.

"Yael," the officer replied.

"Give Ziva your spare weapon," Gibbs ordered. The officer didn't hesitate and handed her his Glock. Gibbs looked at the second officer and raised his eyebrows to enquire as to his name.

"Micah," he replied.

"I'll be needing yours," Gibbs said with his hand out. The officer hesitated and looked at his colleague. After an exchange of glances Micah agreed and handed Gibbs his spare handgun.

"Right," Gibbs said getting uncomfortably to his feet. Tony looked at him barely able to veil his concern. "We'll split into two groups. Ziva, Tony and Yael, you guys go to the far side of reception. Do you guys have communication devices?" he asked the Mossad Officers.

"We have," they replied.

"Good. The rest of us will wait to hear from you before we approach the area from this end. We need to get the hostages out of there. Try and see what kind of detonation switch he has for the explosives. If you can put him down without setting off an explosion, do it," Gibbs directed. "Don't take any risks."

"No problem Boss," Tony replied. "Are you sure you're okay to do this?" he asked his boss out of concern.

"If I wasn't I'd say so," Gibbs replied curtly although inwardly appreciating his younger charge's concern. "Be careful," he said as the group of three left the relative security of the stairwell. Gibbs sat back on the stairs taking advantage of any opportunity to rest up. He was going to need all his strength for what was to come.

**A/N - Another chapter should finish this. Hope you can wait another few days.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Just want to thank all you guys for taking the time to read and review. I know I don't say it enough but it's really encouraging and much appreciated. **

**Okay then - let's bring this one home!**

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Tony, Ziva and the Mossad Officer Yael stole along the corridor their weapons at the ready. They checked each room as they went. The occupants seemed to have vanished. The floor was abandoned with the exception of Hadar and his hostages. They continued on taking a left and then another left until they eventually reached an area close to the reception area. They passed the staff changing rooms and laboratory. Tony asked Yeal to inform his compatriot who was waiting with Gibbs that they were in position. He told Ziva and Yael to stay close to the staff changing rooms while he tried to get a closer look. Ziva protested but Tony quickly silenced her by raising his hand and cutting her off. She was unimpressed but obeyed. She felt helpless. Her mind wandered to the people Hadar was holding, innocent people. Chances are some of those being held were the wonderful nurses who had looked after her and reassured her during her stay on the fourth floor. She owed them. After all, Hadar was here for her. If she hadn't been their patient they wouldn't be involved at all. Yael watched as she placed her weapon on the ground. Her actions confused him. She stood up straight and walked down the middle of the hallway before he had a chance to ask her what she was doing.

Tony, who was crouched behind a hospital trolley at the side of the hallway, turned when he heard her footsteps approaching.

"Ziva," he whispered as loudly as he could risk. "Get down! What are you doing?" he asked gesticulating wildly. She never even looked at him. Her eyes were fixed on her goal. She rounded the corner and stood bravely albeit foolishly in the open and got Hadar's attention. _"Shit! Shit! Shit!"_ was all Tony could think as he watched her stand and face Hadar.

Amit Hadar swung around when he heard a noise and aimed his weapon in her direction. He had expected to see the anti-terrorist squad but was amazed to see Ziva David.

"Ziva!" he said taken aback by the sight of her standing obstinately in the middle of the corridor. "I've been looking for you."

"So I've heard," Ziva replied keeping her hands out to the side and slightly raised to prove to him she was unarmed.

Meanwhile at the other side of the reception area Gibbs, McGee and Michal were approaching the corner of the corridor. From where they were they could hear the conversation that was taking place.

"_Ah Christ, I'm gonna kill DiNozzo," _Gibbs thought as he inwardly fumed. He had entrusted Tony with keeping Ziva safe and as far as he knew he had just let her walk into a volatile and potential lethal situation. McGee looked to his boss for guidance. Gibbs just raised his hand signalling him to hang back. They had no choice but to see how this played out. He stood with his back to the wall and listened intently to what was going on.

"Amit, you do not need these people anymore. You have me, isn't that what you wanted?" Ziva said valiantly. She called him by his first name trying to remind him of the personal relationship which they had developed over many years. He looked at her and then at the eight people who were cowering behind the reception desk.

"You're right, I should just kill them now," Hadar smirked waiting to see Ziva's reaction.

"No!" Ziva shouted as he turned his weapon in their direction. "What do you want? I can talk to my father. We can sort this out," she pleaded.

"Hah!" he sneered. "Do you really think I can go back to my life? "

"I don't know. Do you want to?" Ziva asked as she stepped closer to him. She was able to get a clearer look at the explosives vest he wore. She could not see any detonator. The only thing he had in his hand was his weapon. She was relieved to see that he did not carry a dead man's switch. That gave them room to manoeuvre but she had no way of communicating that to Gibbs or the others.

"Sometimes I think I do but it's too late for regrets, eh Ziva?" he replied approaching her. "Tell me something, how did you know it was me on the phone in Somalia?"

"You forget how well I know you. Too many times did I stand by my father's side and wait while he took call after call from you and other officers. It got to the stage where I could identify you all by your voices on the phone. I hoped I was wrong but when you didn't even deny it yesterday, I knew," she explained.

"Bravo," he said actually impressed by her. "Your father would be so proud. Pity he will only get to boast to the mourners at your funeral," he laughed callously. He turned to the hostages wielding his weapon crazily at them.

"Get out!" he shouted. "Go on get out of here, now!"

No one needed to be told twice. They all stood up and scattered in different directions some towards Gibbs and the rest in Tony's direction. No one looked back to see what Ziva's fate was to be. Tony was about to stand up and draw Hadar's attention when he heard Gibbs voice from the other end of the waiting area.

"Put it down Hadar," Gibbs ordered stepping into the open with his weapon trained on Hadar. Quickly Hadar grabbed Ziva and pulled her towards him to use her as a shield. Gibbs knew he stood no chance should Hadar open fire with his automatic weapon. His knowledge of weapons told him that an MP7 could fire off 950 rounds per minute. He looked at Ziva who was doing her best to signal him to take the shot. Gibbs almost had Hadar in his sights but he couldn't risk hitting Ziva. He momentarily flashed back to his shooting of Agent Lee and didn't want to have to sacrifice another agent to down a suspect. His momentary hesitation was all that Hadar needed and he sprayed his automatic weapon in Gibbs direction. As the first shots rang out, McGee dived towards Gibbs and knocked him off his feet and onto the ground in the hope that he could save him. At the same time, Ziva grabbed Hadar's arm and forced the weapon towards the ceiling. A struggle ensued, Ziva using all of her killer instincts to fight him off.

Upon hearing the automatic fire Tony and Yael both jumped out from their positions and took aim at Hadar. Tony was the first to release a shot aiming for the head. His first shot missed, his second didn't. Hadar dropped heavily to the floor his weapon sliding across the ground. Ziva stood shakily looking down at the growing pool of blood that accumulated around his head. _Was it really over?_ Then she heard McGee panicked calls.

"Boss! Are you okay? Can you hear me boss?" he called as he knelt beside the fallen agent. Gibbs was out cold lying on his stomach. McGee checked him for wounds. He could see blood on the back of his hospital gown. He raised it to look and saw that the surgical wound was bleeding again. He turned him over and checked the rest of his body but could see no other wounds. Ziva ran to where Gibbs lay.

"Is he hit?" she asked with great concern.

"No, I don't think so," McGee replied still unsure why Gibbs was unconscious.

"Did he hit his head?" Ziva wondered as she noticed a growing lump on his forehead.

"I don't know. It all happened so fast," McGee replied.

Tony was checking Hadar's body and the explosives vest trying to make sure he wasn't going to explode anytime soon. He confirmed that he was dead and that all appeared safe then he came over to his friends. He looked at the scene and at first thought the worst until he heard Gibbs groan as he started to come around again.

"Easy Boss," McGee said as Gibbs tried to sit up.

"Is he down?" Gibbs asked groggily rubbing his head.

"Yeah, Tony got him," McGee told him.

"And who got you?" Gibbs asked.

"What?" McGee replied a little baffled by Gibbs question.

"You're bleeding," Gibbs said pointing to his side. McGee looked down amazed that he hadn't noticed anything.

"He's right, you're hit Probie," Tony said pulling back McGee's sports coat and revealing a growing patch of blood just over his hip bone. McGee peered at the bloodstain a shocked expression extending across his face. As the adrenaline rush dissipated he grew paler and sat back against the corridor wall clutching his wound and feeling decidedly light headed.

"You'll be okay, McGee. Just hang in there," Gibbs said in an effort to comfort his youngest agent. The injured pair sat side by side and waited for medical assistance.

Soon the fourth floor was a hive of activity once more. The Mossad Officers had obviously reported that the threat had been eliminated. Before they knew it the elevators sprung into life and the door opened and out stepped more security officers. Some of the hostages who had been released by Hadar were doctors and nurses and they quickly returned to administer first aid to Gibbs and McGee. Gibbs was taken by wheelchair to the E.R to have his wound sutured and redressed. McGee passed out soon after he realised he was shot and was taken on a gurney to the E.R for assessment and then to surgery.

Eli David arrived soon after the area was secured. He met his daughter in the E.R. where she waited on news of her friends.

"Thanks God you are alright," he said putting his arms around her and hugging her emotionally for the first time in years. She felt awkward and didn't know how to react at first. Then she let her emotions guide her and she hugged him back and cried softly as the stress of the last few weeks broke through. He held her and talked to her like a father would to his daughter and not a Mossad Officer as he usually did. She knew she was going to be okay. She had her father back.

Gibbs was settled back into his room when a highly flustered Abby burst in followed by an out of breath Ducky.

"I can't believe it. We were back in our hotel room and I couldn't sleep so I had the t.v on and then I saw the hospital on the news and I knew something was going on but it was in Hebrew so I woke Ducky and told him we needed to get back here and we tried. We really did, but they wouldn't let us in. I even told them I was a Mossad Officer, they didn't believe me - still don't know why. And then Tony called to say McGee was shot and that he was in surgery and we waited and waited until they eventually let us in and now we're here. God Gibbs – how is he?" Abby asked grasping Gibbs hand and finally taking a breath.

"It's a through and through, Abs. He'll be fine, I promise," Gibbs told her hoping it would ease her panic.

"He will? That's great. I knew it all along. He's tougher than he looks you know. Oh - you're okay too, aren't you?" Abby asked eagerly.

"I'm fine thanks to McGee," Gibbs smiled admitting that he owed McGee his life.

"Really? McGee saves the day. There's one for the books," Abby smiled starting to cheer up. "Well you can tell me all about it when we get home. We're getting out of here as soon as we can. I know I said I wanted to see Tel Aviv but I think I've had enough excitement to last me a lifetime. No one told me it could be so dangerous!" she said seriously.

"Abby, you do know that these were extraordinary circumstances," Ducky hastened to point out.

"Of course I do Ducky. It's just I want to get my guys home. Can you blame me? Whenever I leave them alone in a strange place someone gets hurt. I'm locking them in my lab when we get back. Then I'll have a little chat with Vance," she said with a glint in her eye.

Ducky and Gibbs smiled at the highly strung forensic tech. They didn't doubt for a minute that she would. Whatever she did her heart was always in the right place. Gibbs had no doubt that she wasn't going to let him forget this one for quite some time. Home was sounding pretty good to him he had to admit. He really missed the coffee!

**THE END.**

**Well - there you have it. Hope you're not disappointed. Ending probably seems a bit rushed (thats because it was)!**

**Thanks again all my reviewers. **


	16. Epilogue

**I REALLY WANTED TO THANK ALL OF YOU WHO TOOK THE TIME TO REVIEW, ADDED STORY ALERTS AND FAVORITES FOR THIS LITTLE STORY. ****I'M REALLY BAD AT REPLYING SO HOPEFULLY YOU'LL ACCEPT MY ALL AROUND THANKS. JUST TAKING 'MOM'S' ADVICE AND TIDYING UP THE ZIVA AND THE NCIS/MOSSAD ISSUE. HOPE IT MAKES SENSE.**

**OH YEAH – ROLL ON SEASON 7!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**EPILOGUE**

Gibbs relaxed that night for the first night in a long time. It was probably a result of exhaustion and the medication but whatever it was, he had enjoyed a deep undisturbed sleep that night. It was late the next morning before he woke to the usual hectic sounds of hospital life. He felt relatively pain free that morning and almost refreshed. He wondered how McGee was doing. He turned his head to look around and was relieved to find that his room was visitor free. He had given Tony orders to get some rest after the excitement of the previous night. Abby and Ducky had taken him to their hotel. Gibbs adjusted the back of his bed remotely and hauled himself up into a more comfortable seated position.

Then he noticed that a breakfast tray had been left on the table at the bottom of the bed for him. He reached for it and pulled it closer to him and examined the contents of the tray. It was nothing too exciting, a small packet of cereal, toast which had gone cold, butter and preserve and coffee, well, what used to be coffee! He felt kind of hungry so spread butter onto the cold toast and bit into it. It actually tasted quite good. He tried to remember the last time he'd had a proper meal. He couldn't. He sniffed the cold coffee in the cup and wished he was back home queuing up for his usual morning pick-me-up. He was about to reach for the t.v. remote when the door to his room opened.

"Good morning, Gibbs," Ziva smiled as she entered carrying two Styrofoam cups. "Coffee?"

Gibbs grinned like a Cheshire cat as he gratefully accepted her offering.

"It's probably not that good. I got it from the machine down the hall," Ziva admitted as she pulled a chair closer to him.

"Right about now, any coffee is good coffee," he smiled taking a large gulp.

"You're feeling better then?" Ziva asked happy to see him with more colour in his cheeks.

"Yeah much better. Can't wait to get out of here though," Gibbs admitted.

"Me too. They say I can go home today," she told him.

"That's great. You look much better," Gibbs said noticing that the bruising was not as pronounced this morning.

"I wanted to talk to you about ….. you know," Ziva started nervously.

"Yea, I know. I understand. You have a duty. I can't expect you to sacrifice everything you grew up wanting," Gibbs replied trying to make the announcement of her decision less difficult for her.

"Thanks," she said. "But I was hoping you might consider taking me back on your team."

Gibbs almost choked on his coffee but tried not to appear as surprised as he felt. He looked her directly in the eyes. Her face bore the scars of her recent trauma but he wondered about the scars that didn't show. He could not help but feel pity for her. He tried to read the emotions that she so skilfully concealed.

"What about your trust issue, Ziva? DiNozzo is an important part of my team, don't tell him I said that though," Gibbs said theatrically. "I will not be changing the members of my team. If you come back, you come back to the way it was. Can you do that?"

"I know I can. I was angry with Tony for not trusting my judgement about Michael. I was angry with him for ….. for being right," she admitted awkwardly. Gibbs looked seriously at her. She continued. "I have had time to think. During my captivity thoughts of you, of the team, kept me going. I realised that my place is in the U.S. now. I belong in N.C.I.S. I'm a good agent. I made a terrible mistake and I have paid dearly. I won't make such a mistake again," she promised hanging her head.

Gibbs saw her shame and embarrassment and reached his hand out and gently raised her chin so that she was looking at him.

"You know I want you on my team, Ziva, but what about your father?" Gibbs wondered.

"We had a long talk last night. I think he understands why I need to do this," she told him.

"And he will support this?" Gibbs asked.

"He will. I just need you to convince Director Vance that a more permanent arrangement is wise," she said seriously.

"You leave Vance to me," Gibbs replied. Ziva knew that he meant it. She stood up and leaned in towards him and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you," she said. Gibbs blushed. As she left the room, Gibbs lay back and smiled contented. Despite knowing that he would have Vance on his back over this, he could rest assured that when he walked back down those stairs at NCIS headquarters his team would be waiting for him. All would be as it should. His family would be whole.

_**FIN**_


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